Hijacker shot by police while targeting official G20 vehicle in Johannesburg
Members of the police’s elite National Intervention Unit (NIU) on Friday shot a hijacker in Johannesburg who targeted the official G20 vehicle they were travelling in.
The man, acting on his own, was apparently wielding a toy gun when he tried to force the officers out of the vehicle.
The NIU officers shot the man – his condition could not be verified.
Police could not immediately confirm the incident but an impeccable source said there was heavy security around the delegates attending the G20 Leaders’ Summit with presidents and senior Government officials attending the two day event at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg.
Security has been heightened inside and outside the venue, ensuring a controlled environment for high-stakes discussions that include leaders of 42 countries.
These include China’s Premier Li Qiang and Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chính, Indian Prime Minister Naendra Modi, Pham Minh Chính, Prime Minister of Vietnam, and Anthony Albanese, the Prime Minister of Australia, among others.
The Nasrec Expo Centre is strictly limited, with nearly every entrance blocked. Law enforcement officers patrolled the perimeter, demonstrating the seriousness with which security was handled.
Over 3,500 police officers were deployed for the event, supplemented by military personnel kept on high alert.
NATJOINTS (the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure) this week said that intelligence agencies are providing daily assessments on any threats.
“What the intelligence communities communicate to the joint structure is verified information ready to be operationalised,” SAPS deputy national commissioner for policing, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili said.
“We do so on a daily basis and will continue until we conclude our operations.”
Mosikili added that Operation Shanela, a nationwide crime-prevention initiative, continues to help identify patterns and potential threats.
The operation targets serious and violent crimes through stop-and-searches, roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints, and high-visibility patrols in all nine provinces.
siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za