Cape Town motorists are being urged to stay alert after a string of unsettling reports from drivers on Ou Kaapse Weg, the winding mountain pass connecting Noordhoek and Fish Hoek to the M3, Cape {town} Etc reports.
The warnings began circulating in local community groups this past week, with several residents describing similar encounters: a vehicle appearing to break down on the roadside, only to pull off aggressively once another car passes.
What drivers are reporting
The first account came from a motorist who said they were leaving Noordhoek and heading over Ou Kaapse Weg towards the M3 on Saturday, 17 October, at around 23:00. According to the post shared in the Tokai Connect community group, a car was stopped in the left lane with its hazards on, appearing to have broken down.
‘Straight after I passed, they pulled off and started speeding up behind me, matching my speed. I sped up. They drove very close to my car, flashing lights the whole time, and tried to overtake me a few times on the mountain pass,’ the driver wrote.
The motorist said they were alone and frightened and only lost the vehicle near Silvermine after oncoming traffic gave them an opening to get away.
A second report, submitted to the same community admin team, described a near-identical encounter the night before. A parent wrote that their 21-year-old daughter had driven over Ou Kaapse from Tokai towards Sun Valley at around 22:30 on the Friday.
‘A vehicle tailed her with full beams on and way too close for comfort. Possibly the same driver as reported around 11pm last night. Very concerning if we have this on our mountain pass,’ the post read.
A third, forwarded report placed a similar incident a few days earlier, on Thursday evening, involving a white Avanza near the Fish Hoek squash club. The driver said the vehicle stopped in the middle of the road in front of them as they turned to head back to Sun Valley, before apparently backing off once the driver spotted a man behind the wheel and turned off at a nearby intersection.
A pattern worth watching
Taken together, the three reports span less than a week and describe a consistent pattern: a vehicle that appears stranded or stationary, followed by aggressive tailing, flashing lights and attempts to force the other driver to stop or pull over. Community group admins have flagged the possibility that the same vehicle or driver is responsible for more than one of the incidents.
Ou Kaapse Weg is a well-used but isolated route over the mountain between Noordhoek, Sun Valley and Fish Hoek, with long stretches offering little passing traffic or cellphone reception at night, which may make it an appealing target for this kind of intimidation.
Safety advice for motorists
Community safety groups are reminding residents of basic precautions if they find themselves in a similar situation:
- Do not engage or stop
- Keep driving and keep your doors locked
- Head for a busy petrol station or public area
- Call for help if you need to
Residents are encouraged to keep reporting incidents and to contact the emergency centre directly if they find themselves in a similar situation: (021) 480 7700
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