Couple's car hijacked by ‘blue light gang’ in Vaal, wife found dead
Image: Elvis Ntombela
An elderly woman died after she and her husband were pulled over and hijacked by alleged “blue light” robbers on the R59 in the south of Johannesburg on Tuesday evening.
The couple was en route home between 8.30pm and 9pm after attending a prayer service in Meyerton.
Their son-in-law told TimesLIVE on Wednesday morning that their white Toyota Hilux bakkie was pulled over by a car with blue lights.
“When they were pulled over, my father-in-law said four of them jumped into the vehicle with them. He couldn’t recognise the car, but said it was a small white vehicle.
“We were trying to track the vehicle with Tracker and it apparently went to Katlehong first and then it came to the R550, Heidelberg Road.”
He said the bakkie was found in the veld on the R550 about 5km from where the woman's body was found.
“The family is not doing well at all. This was a shock to all of us. There are no words to describe this.
“The husband is also not doing well, the two of them were inseparable and went everywhere together.”
The family asked anyone with information to come forward.
Police spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo said the 68-year-old husband and his 65-year-old wife were allegedly stopped by bogus officers with blue lights along the R59 near the Engen garage.
Masondo said the couple were hijacked by armed men.
“They drove with them to the R550 and ordered them to get out of the car and run away. The wife collapsed and the husband went to a nearby house to look for assistance and that's when they contacted police.”
“Different police units were immediately activated and rushed to the crime scene.”
The hijacked vehicle was found abandoned along R550 Road in Zonkizizwe policing area but the woman was still missing.
The woman’s body was later found in an open veld without any visible injuries.
Masondo said the post-mortem would determine the cause of death.
Cases of hijacking and inquest were opened.
*This article was updated at 11.20am to add comment from police spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo