Driving a Range Rover in the Johannesburg region could heighten your status as a hijacking target, prompting Minister of Police Fikile Mbalula, to send out a warning that drivers of the brand need to be more vigilant than ever.

This comes after a Johannesburg advocate was the latest victim in a series of Range Rover hijackings, reports TimesLive.

Here’s the story:

Mandla Zulu‚ 48‚ died on Tuesday after being shot by alleged hijackers who had caged his vehicle in as he approached a stop sign in Bryanston.

Gift Shakoane SC‚ chairperson of the Duma Nokwe Group of Advocates‚ of which Zulu was a member and a deputy chairperson, stated that:

[Zulu] and his wife were coming from seeing his mother from the hospital. They were approaching a stop sign. Two vehicles were following them and when he was about to stop‚ one car blocked him from the front and the other one was on the rear.

He got out‚ trying to run and they shot at him. The men dragged Zulu back into the car and drove off with him and his wife.

They dumped them in Lonehill. His wife had to run around and look for help. They got to the hospital‚ but he died shortly after arriving.

Police are investigating the case.

Speaking of Zulu’s death, Shakoane said it was a “loss and an irreplaceable one”:

“He was everybody’s person. He was a man of various intellects. He was in business and was also an advocate.

“He was vocal on matters of transformation. He wanted to see everybody become a somebody. He was a great asset and a pillar‚” Shakoane said.

Zulu started out as a prosecutor before joining the Johannesburg bar‚ Shakoane said.“He served in a number of councils‚” he said.

And the warning from Mbalula via the Citizen:

“If you drive a Range Rover car, you are in danger of being hijacked. Stay alert!” said Mbalula.

The police minister on Tuesday said Range Rovers were being sold to a well-known buyer “somewhere in southern Africa” for R150 000.

“The buyer we will arrest him … nina phephani [relax] … Please, please, we are finishing them off as we speak,” he added.

Please, be careful out there.

[sources:timeslive&citizen]