Guides
How SA cars are actually stolen
Plain-English guides from the SA telematics team protecting South African vehicles. No marketing fog. No fear-porn. Just how the modern playbook works — and where it falls down.
5 min read · updated July 2026
What happens when you get hijacked · a calm walkthrough
Comply, stay safe, let the car go. What unfolds second by second — and why carGuardian lets the car leave normally, then stops it a short distance later.
8 min read · updated May 2026
How relay theft works in South Africa · the 30-second attack
Two thieves, two cheap radios, your key still in the kitchen. The mechanism, the cars most at risk, and what actually stops it.
7 min read · updated May 2026
SA’s 10 most-stolen vehicles in 2026 · is yours on the list?
The Hilux holds #1 for the eighth year. The full top 10, the provincial breakdown, and what the data tells you about the syndicate market.
6 min read · updated May 2026
Tracker vs immobiliser · which one actually stops your car being stolen?
A breakdown from a company that sells both layers. When you need one, when you need both, and why most SA owners are running it wrong.
9 min read · updated May 2026
CAN-bus diagnostic theft · how a R30k tool drives your car away
The attack the industry doesn’t want to talk about — because it bypasses every immobiliser fitted into SA cars before 2024. The full mechanism + the four ways to close it.
No spam · updated when something actually changes