Spiking incidents surging on these Pretoria main roads
Updated | By Breakfast with Martin Bester
Motorists have been warned to stay vigilant following a surge in spiking incidents.
@Yusuf_Abramjee/X
Motorists are urged to remain on high alert as spiking attacks on Pretoria's main roads have increased.
According to Pretoria Rekord, these incidents involve the use of iron spikes, rocks, and other hazards to damage car tyres in an attempt to rob motorists. In some cases, these attacks have also led to fatalities.
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AfriForum Community Safety spokesperson Jacques Broodryk stated that more and more incidents have occurred on Pretoria roads over the past few months.
The affected roads include:
N1
N4
N12
N14
R566
R80
"We urgently appeal to motorists to stay vigilant of spiking traps on main routes in the Pretoria area. Since last year, AfriForum has been monitoring trends related to these traps, in which iron spikes, rocks, and other objects are used to target, rob, and, in some cases, kill motorists.
"However, the occurrence of these traps has remained alarmingly high in recent months. AfriForum’s neighbourhood watches will now intensify their efforts to combat spiking incidents and related crimes on roads while also assisting victims."
AfriForum has also identified key trends surrounding these spiking incidents, including peak times and methods used by perpetrators.
"This data shows that although these crimes can happen on any day of the week, they mainly occur at night and during the early hours of the morning.
"Criminals use various techniques to force vehicles to stop, including placing spikes on the road, using dummies to resemble injured people, creating roadblocks with rocks, or throwing rocks at moving vehicles from overhead bridges to force drivers to stop or lose control of their vehicles and crash."
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Perpetrators typically operate in groups of two to 10 individuals and are often armed with weapons ranging from sharp objects, such as knives, to firearms.
Broodryk encourages the public to report all incidents to the South African Police Service and their nearest AfriForum neighbourhood watch.
AfriForum also urges motorists to follow these important safety measures to protect themselves from such incidents:
Do not stop your vehicle under any circumstances if your tyres, windscreen, or other parts have been damaged. Continue driving as far as possible until you reach a safe destination.
Contact local neighbourhood watch groups, security companies, or emergency services immediately to report the incident. Provide details about the object used in the trap and its location to help prevent further attacks.
Ensure your phone is fully charged before setting off on your journey.
Share your location with loved ones, especially when travelling alone.
Stay alert and develop the habit of scanning the road ahead for potential threats, suspicious objects, or individuals near the roadside.
Save emergency contact numbers for local emergency services, neighbourhood watches, or security companies on your phone.
Consider installing an emergency response app, such as AfriForum's free 911 panic button app, available on the Google Play Store (for Android devices) and the App Store (for iOS devices).
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