A Fourways woman, who has come forward anonymously, told us about her experience after a late-night traffic stop on Uranium Road left her feeling shaken and unsafe, raising concerns about policing conduct and the experiences of women travelling alone at night.

The resident, who asked not to be named for safety reasons, said the incident was traumatic, and that she fears possible retaliation should her identity become public. The encounter took place at approximately 22:00 on January 21 while she was driving along Uranium Road toward Winnie Mandela Drive. She described the area as poorly lit due to faulty streetlights, making visibility limited. “As I was driving, I suddenly noticed a torch shining toward me in the roadway. There were two JMPD vehicles parked to the side, and an officer indicated that I should pull over.”

She complied and lowered her window as the officer approached and requested her driver’s licence. According to the motorist, the officer examined the licence repeatedly while looking back and forth between the card and her face before stating that he was smelling something, and asking whether she had been drinking.

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She denied consuming alcohol and said the question was repeated moments later. The officer then informed her that a breathalyser test would need to be conducted as part of procedure. Although she agreed to comply, she questioned why the device did not use a sealed straw, which she believed was standard protocol. The officer allegedly told her the device did not require one and instructed her to blow directly into it.

The breathalyser produced a reading of 0.0, indicating no alcohol detected. Despite the result, the interaction continued. The motorist said the officer walked around her vehicle shining a torch on the windscreen and inspecting the tyres while still holding her licence. She also noticed that another officer present was not stopping any other vehicles. “He continued checking and then started making small talk about my car, leaning close to my window. By that point I felt extremely anxious.”

After several minutes, her licence was eventually returned and she was allowed to leave, with the only explanation being that an operation was underway. The motorist said several aspects of the encounter made her feel intimidated, including repeated suggestions that she had been drinking, prolonged checks after the negative breathalyser result, and what she perceived as an invasion of personal space. “My gut feeling was that I was being targeted. I felt unsafe, not because I had done anything wrong, but because of how the situation unfolded.”

The following day, she contacted Ward 94 councillor David Foley to seek advice and to ask whether similar incidents had occurred along Uranium Road. While she considered opening a formal complaint, she decided against it due to fears of exposing her personal details and the lack of video evidence, as she had been driving alone without a dashcam or cellphone footage.

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She said her intention in sharing the experience was to prevent other women from going through a similar ordeal. “Being a woman in South Africa today is scary enough. You should feel safe when interacting with law enforcement.”

According to Foley, the woman was among the first residents to report such an experience to him. After receiving her account, he shared a warning in local community groups to raise awareness. “I don’t stay far from the road, please call me on 082 902 5003, when you feel intimidated, but only if you have not been drinking.”

JMPD’s Xolani Fihla promised to revert after a media query, but no further information about the incident has been provided, despite repeated follow ups.

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