A 55-year-old school secretary has been left traumatised after she was hijacked and sexually assaulted in broad daylight in Malvern, Queensburgh, on Thursday, 11 June 2026.
The attack unfolded shortly after midday near the Duffs Road off-ramp on the M25 in Durban, where members of Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) responded to reports of a distressed woman seated alone in her red VW Polo on the roadside.
According to RUSA, officers were dispatched at approximately 12:07 after a concerned member of the public contacted the emergency service. The caller had stopped when he noticed the woman appeared visibly shaken. Upon approaching her vehicle, he found her in an emotional state.
She told him she had just escaped from an armed suspect who had hijacked her vehicle.
Reaction Officers arrived on scene and were briefed by the victim, who recounted a harrowing sequence of events that began shortly after she left her place of employment. The school secretary had been travelling to a bank to deposit what was described as a substantial amount of cash.
Not long into her journey, she heard a noise coming from one of her tyres. Concerned about potential damage, she pulled over at a nearby bus stop to inspect the vehicle.
It was at that moment that an unknown man approached her.
The suspect allegedly produced a firearm and forced her back into her car. Under threat, she was instructed to continue driving in a southerly direction.
While the vehicle was in motion, the suspect repeatedly attacked her and subjected her to a sexual assault. The victim told Reaction Officers that the ordeal continued as the man maintained control over her movements.
In a further disturbing development, the suspect allegedly attempted to telephonically secure a buyer for the vehicle while she was being held against her will.
After failing to find a purchaser, the suspect directed the woman to drive to KwaMashu, north of Durban. Upon arrival in the area, he exited the vehicle and boarded a white VW Polo. The registration number of that vehicle is unknown.
Before fleeing, he stole a bag containing the cash that the woman had intended to deposit at the bank. He also removed her bank cards from her wallet.
Alone and shaken, the woman managed to drive away from the area. She eventually made her way onto the M25 and stopped near the Duffs Road off-ramp — the same location where she would soon be noticed by a passing motorist.
The concerned driver, sensing something was wrong, stopped to assist her. It was through his intervention that authorities were alerted and Reaction Unit South Africa officers were dispatched.
When emergency personnel arrived, they found the woman deeply emotional but not physically injured. She had endured a traumatic sequence of events in a matter of hours, transforming what began as a routine banking errand into a terrifying experience.
The incident has once again highlighted the vulnerability of motorists who stop along busy roads, even in broad daylight. The suspect remains at large.
At this stage, no further details regarding the identity of the suspect have been released.
The victim’s courage in escaping the ordeal and seeking assistance likely prevented further harm. Authorities are expected to continue investigations into the hijacking, robbery and sexual assault.
The attack took place on Thursday, 11 June 2026, in the Queensburgh area of KwaZulu-Natal — a reminder that violent crime remains a pressing concern across parts of the province.
While the woman was not physically injured, the emotional impact of such an experience is profound. Support services are typically made available to victims of violent crime, particularly in cases involving sexual assault.
As investigations continue, police are expected to appeal for any witnesses who may have seen the red VW Polo travelling between Malvern and KwaMashu around midday on Thursday, or who may have information about the white VW Polo used in the suspect’s escape.
For now, a 55-year-old school secretary is left to recover from a deeply distressing encounter that unfolded in the space of a single afternoon — a journey that began with a suspicious tyre noise and ended with her stranded on the side of the M25, waiting for help.
