The act of ‘spiking’ has become an increasingly troublesome issue in some parts of South Africa, as petty thugs target motorists on busy highways late at night. This week, the Community Policing Forum (CPF) published the first guide to local hot-spots – where this crime occurs most often – in order to help South Africans avoid a traumatic experience.
What is spiking?
The new criminal trend sees spikes hidden in the road, with the express intention of bursting tyres and slowing cars down to rob the occupants. This anarchic behaviour is also supported by other petty crimes, such as rock-throwing and the placement of stones or ‘significant debris’ on the road. Both the N4 and N1 have been ‘significantly affected’.