Sanral has confirmed it was investigating reports that criminals were blocking the R512 road on-ramp to the N4 highway to Rustenburg with boulders then robbing the motorists who stopped.
A Centurion motorist, who almost fell victim to this, posted his ordeal on Facebook.
“Last Friday I had a golf tournament to which my mother accompanied me,” said Tiaan Geissler, adding that as he was taking his mother home to Rustenburg just after midnight, he had noticed rocks on the road.
He said noticed dirt on the road on-ramp and became suspicious.
“When we saw the rocks seconds later we actually got a fright at how big they were,” he said.
“There were two boulders in one lane. Two more had been packed in the oncoming lane and another in the middle of the road.”
Geissler managed to manoeuvre his Ford Fiesta between the boulders and escaped unscathed.
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He said he had been alert because he had previously read on social media about this modus operandi.
“The boulders were massive and could easily have totalled my car if we struck them,” he said.
“We didn’t even think to stop. We just continued on towards the toll gate where I reported the incident.
https://www.facebook.com/tiaan.geissler/posts/2392097884145740
“We had seen social media posts that rocks were being used to block the road to rob motorists.”
He said when he returned to Centurion “I noticed the rocks near quarry pit were similar in size to those used to block the road”.
Sanral said a report was received on 28 May.
“Sanral has instructed a team to investigate the matter and come up with measures to stop this criminal activity,” said spokesperson Vusi Mona.
“We will engage with law enforcement agencies to assist.”
Mona said the team would probe if the boulders originated from the quarry where Sanral was digging for sand to rehabilitate the road.
He urged motorists to lookout for any suspicious activity on the road and immediately inform the police.
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“Also inform our routine road maintenance route manager whose numbers are displayed on information boards.
“They will assist with clearing any debris from the road.”
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