A motorist, travelling between Secunda and Trichardt, was sprayed in the face with an unknown substance that forced him to stop several times because his vision was impaired, before reaching his house. He was later rushed to hospital for treatment.

Police have since warned motorists to keep their windows closed and doors locked when approaching the traffic lights at Albany on the road between Secunda and Trichardt.

The incident occurred when a man, who wished to remain anonymous, was on his way to Secunda from Trichardt at around 16:30 on Thursday, February 24.

The motorist said that he never drives with his windows open, except on that day. A street vendor approached him and held out bags of marula he was selling. The motorist told the vendor: “No, thank you,” and proceeded to focus on the road in front of him.

“The lights turned green and as I pulled away, I felt a burning sensation on my face and in my eyes,” said the man.

He recalled smelling a sharp odour. The man said he was forced to pull over further up the road, close to the Sasol Junction.

“My face and eyes were burning and the tears were running,” said the motorist.

He used a face mask to try and dry up the tears and also put on sunglasses to see if it would help while driving. The man said he had to pull over a second time just as he entered Secunda.

Finally making his way home, the man said that several attempts to wash his face could not rid him of the irritation and burning sensation he experienced.

He was rushed to Mediclinic Highveld later that night after his right eye was swollen shut and the irritation was getting worse. His other eye was also affected.

The man was treated by doctors and discharged.

It remains unclear what he was sprayed with. The man recalled marks on his glasses showing that it was watery substance. He said he suspected it had an alcohol or chemical base.  He ruled out the possibility of pepper spray saying he would have recognised the smell.

“This was one of the scariest moments in my life,” said the motorist.

Local police are aware of this matter and are monitoring the situation. They passed the buck to municipal law enforcement, saying they need to step in and enforce by-laws of trading at traffic lights.

Donald Green, Acting Communications Manager for Govan Mbeki Municipality, said traffic lights do not fall into the demarcated areas where vendors are allowed to trade.

“The council is the sole approval authority for informal trading within the road reserve and public places in Govan Mbeki municipal jurisdiction,” said Green

This includes:

• Trading licenses are issued to qualifying vendors/persons.
• Licensed vendors are positioned/placed at appropriate demarcated areas for trading.
• Traffic lights (robots) are not such demarcated areas.
• Accordingly, street vendors are prohibited from trading outside the designated/ demarcated areas.
• Trading in the traffic lights violates the Road Traffic Act.
• The council would not issue or approve licenses that would result in the obstruction of traffic or in violation of the national legislation.
• In no way are vendors allowed to trade at traffic lights as that would violate the Road Traffic Act.
• It is understood that some licensed vendors return to trade adjacent to traffic lights when they can’t attract enough customers at their designated/ demarcated locations.
• Action has been taken against street vendors operating in traffic lights in the past, but they keep coming back.
• GMM law enforcement will continue to monitor all acts of illegal street vending.