LIMPOPO — Authorities have launched an intensive manhunt following a violent Tshamutumbu farm carjacking that resulted in the kidnapping of an agricultural worker and the eventual recovery of a stolen luxury vehicle from the waters of the Limpopo River.
The frightening ordeal in the Vhembe District began on Saturday, 08 August 2026, at approximately 11:30. According to police reports, the victim was busy working on the farm when he was suddenly ambushed by four unknown suspects. The attackers were reportedly armed with both a firearm and a knife.
Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba provided details on the escalating violence of the hijacking.
“The suspects reportedly demanded the victim’s vehicle. They then forced him into the loading area of the vehicle and covered his face before driving away with him,” Ledwaba stated.
After abducting the victim in the back of his own vehicle, the armed gang transported him to a secondary location. The victim was subsequently dropped off at another farm situated near the Limpopo River, while the suspects continued driving away in his stolen car.
The hijacked vehicle has been identified as a white Toyota Land Cruiser, with an estimated market value of approximately R700,000.
Following the incident, law enforcement tracked the stolen SUV and discovered it abandoned in the middle of the Limpopo River. Upon inspection, officers noted that the suspects had stripped the vehicle before fleeing; the battery and the spare wheel were found to be missing.
No arrests have been made in connection with the carjacking and kidnapping as of yet.