N1 highway stone-throwing outcry: children endanger motorists’ lives
TRAFFIC services have called on Capetonians to come forward with information on a group of children who were caught on camera, pelting motorists with stones along the N1 highway.
The incident, recorded on Sunday, sent tongues wagging as a motorist stopped along the busy highway to film the perpetrators after his windshield was shattered when passing the Sable Road off-ramp. In the video clip, which has gone viral on chat groups, the motorist is heard warning others: “It’s basically right opposite Mercedes … These (children) are smashing the cars’ windows. It’s there where the railway (line) crosses the road and at the back is Sable Road. They are aiming and throwing (stones) at cars left, right and centre … Hands full of big stones. This is what happened to my car now. Check all the cars going and they are just throwing and throwing.”
Cape Town Traffic Services spokesperson, Maxine Bezuidenhout, confirmed they were made aware of the incident, but said on their arrival the perpetrators had left.
“Nothing was found on arrival – no sign of the perpetrators, or any motorists who were affected by their actions.
“Officers were unable to track down the perpetrators,” she said.
Bezuidenhout said the cameras along the N1 were too far away from the location to positively identify those responsible.
“The bridge in question too is not accessible via motor vehicle or on foot from the N1. Information available is that these were minors who were seen running away in the direction of Kensington. The City appeals to anyone with information about those responsible for these senseless and potentially fatal acts to please come forward.” She said there have been a few sporadic reports of similar incidents along the N1, but historically, these types of incidents occurred more frequently on the N2 and the R300.
Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith, said the “actions of the children are dangerous and could result in a collision”.
“What kind of a person does that? With cars passing at 120km/h and the speed at which the stones are thrown, it could easily injure a child or result in a major collision,” he said.
“It is callously evil to endanger road users. We have seen these types of incidents more commonly on the R300 between Delft and Wesbank, and have had to make sure we have extra enforcement to curtail this.”