"This Is Sad": Benoni Woman Shows Her Hijacked Car Before and After a Year-Long Nightmare
- A Benoni woman shared a powerful before-and-after look at her white Polo following a hijacking that happened a year earlier, marking the anniversary with honesty and courage
- The video explored the emotional toll of car hijackings in South Africa, showing that recovery is not just about replacing what was lost, but learning to live with what remains
- By opening up about how triggering it was to post, she highlighted the long road many victims walk quietly, even when life continues on the surface
What starts as a stolen car often becomes a long, silent journey of grief, healing, and survival, and her story shows how much strength it takes to finally say, this did not end me.
Source: TikTok
A Benoni woman has opened up about her car hijacking journey after sharing a deeply personal video on TikTok, posted by @nketliratshabedi on 20 January 2026. In the clip, she showed how her white Volkswagen Polo looked before it was hijacked and what remained of it when it was eventually recovered. She explained that she woke up on 19 January 2025 to find her car gone, a moment that changed her life instantly. Exactly one year later, on 19 January 2026, she marked the painful anniversary by posting the video, saying it was triggering and took a lot of courage to share. The car was only found a month before her post, stripped down to its bare skeleton, with nothing left but the frame.
Car hijackings remain one of South Africa’s most traumatising crimes, often leaving victims with emotional scars long after the physical loss. Beyond losing a vehicle, many people deal with anxiety, fear, financial pressure, and a shaken sense of safety. For some, the recovery of a car does not bring closure, especially when it is returned completely vandalised or stripped.
Car hijacking aftermath in SA
The video by user @nketliratshabedi gained traction because it captured a reality many South Africans know too well. Seeing the side-by-side comparison of a fully functioning car and what was left behind struck a nerve. Viewers related to the honesty of her message, especially when she shared that life did not end after the hijacking, even though the experience took a lot from her emotionally.
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Many people responded with empathy and encouragement, acknowledging how difficult it must have been to revisit that moment publicly. Others shared similar experiences, creating a space where pain, resilience, and survival quietly met.
Source: TikTok
Here’s what Mzansi said
ZoeyK said:
“Exactly what happened to me. bought it on the 13th January, stolen on 7 February, and found it like that... but I dealt with them witchcraftically. 😂😂”
Kaybee said:
“I really regret buying this car, but I've installed anti-hijack and can switch off the car using my phone. 😭”
Boy's-Mommy said:
“At least you're still alive. God will provide you with another one.”
Live Gcilitshana said:
“Mine was stolen on the 16th July 2025. Will never forget the day. I was super confused. 😕”
Mokgwaetsi Khiba said:
“I feel your pain. Got hijacked at about midnight. Luckily, it was recovered by the tracker a few hours later.”
MandisaCandykaBhebhe said:
"My sister lost the same car in Pietermaritzburg last year. Hasn't been found. Insurance didn't pay, tracker didn't pay. 😭😭😭”
Nth@b!$3n9 said:
“I went through the same thing with the same car last year on the 13th of Feb. Till today it’s not found. 🥺😢😩”
Priscilla B said:
“Sorry. At least you saw where it ended. Mine was taken in August 2022, still no trace.”
Check out the TikTok video below:
3 Other Briefly News stories related to hijacking
- Five suspects were arrested for the shocking hijacking, kidnapping, and murder of two women in Gauteng.
- A Johannesburg man explained how inherited buildings often become targets for hijackings due to legal loopholes.
- Three Tactical Response Team (TRT) officers in Gauteng were arrested in connection with a truck hijacking.
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Source: Briefly News
