“Happened to Me”: SA Woman’s Fourways Intersection Ordeal Has Other Women Speaking Out

• SA content creator Sam Wright went viral after sharing her frightening run-in with an aggressive man at a Fourways intersection in Johannesburg
• Wright said the man blocked her car, then struck it along the side as she tried to drive away, leaving her shaken and determined to act
• Hundreds of women responded to say they had faced similar ordeals at the same spot, with some changing their routes entirely to avoid the intersection

A Johannesburg content creator has broken her silence about a beggar at a Fourways intersection who has allegedly been terrorising drivers for years. Sam Wright, known online as @techgirlza, shared her story after a recent close encounter left her shaken and furious enough to take it public.

Wright, who has lived in the Fourways area for several years, said she had crossed paths with the man before. He is known to frequent the corner of Main Road and Witkoppen Road, and she described him as especially aggressive towards women drivers. On a previous occasion, he banged on her passenger window and attempted to knock off her side mirror.

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Her most recent encounter happened while she was on her way to a meeting. Spotting him at the intersection, she slowed down deliberately to avoid stopping near him. Instead, the man stepped into the road and blocked her path even after the traffic light turned green. When she hooted, he moved towards her car. She said:

"I found a little gap, drove around him, and as I drove around him, he hit my car all the way down the side as I turned."

Her car was not physically damaged, but the incident was the final push she needed. After raising the matter in two community groups and receiving an overwhelming response from women sharing identical experiences, she took it to social media. Wright said:

"I have this platform. I'm gonna say something publicly because how can this be okay?"

The response stunned even her. Hundreds of replies poured in from people who said the same man had tried to open car doors, climbed through windows and spat at motorists. Some said they now actively avoid the intersection.

Fourways community rallies behind Wright

Wright confirmed she opened a police case and reached out to her ward councillor. Officers initially pointed to the absence of vehicle damage as a hurdle, but a case was eventually opened after she escalated to senior officers. She also praised the Douglasdale and Sandton Community Policing Forums for stepping up their presence and guiding her through opening a case of intimidation.

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Jacaranda FM's Breakfast with Martin Bester host Xola Ntshinga revealed during an interview with Wright that he too had a run-in with the same man, saying he smashed his wing mirror. Ntshinga argued that metro police and social services needed to work together, adding that arresting the man alone was unlikely to resolve the situation.

View the Instagram video below:

Women share their fear online

Responses on Wright's Instagram page made clear just how long this had been going on:

@kelsaaay11 wrote:

"So sorry you've had to go through this 😢 I have had to change my route to avoid this intersection as best as I can (not always possible). Myself and friends have had similar experiences when he bangs on the window and stands in the middle of the road obstructing your ability to move. You feel completely trapped 🙅🏻‍♀️. Thank you for speaking up 🙏🏻"

@olwe2lesh said:

"I know this man very well. I have signalled to cops at that intersection and told them. He's even aggressive at the local stores where he buys food - he's dangerous and I don't know whether they are waiting for him to harm someone seriously or kill for them to put a stop to him."

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@jaysheelakat shared:

"He is so scary! It's happened to me, when I was driving alone one evening. I thought it was a once off. Thank you for putting this out there, hopefully your video will get something done."

@shireenpowell added:

"I am so sorry that you have gone through this ❤️. I know exactly who you are talking about - I too have been harassed by him."

@enhlembali_ wrote:

"I know him sis, I have hooted when I saw what he was doing. The problem is people move along as this abuse continues. My security has also once stopped him."

@lindo_adequate reacted:

"OMG, so it's really his thing!! 😭😭😭"

Wright ended her interview with a direct appeal: anyone who has faced a similar experience at the intersection should open a case with police.

More Briefly News stories on Fourways

• See inside the new Pantry at Fourways Mall in Johannesburg, where a bakery, ice cream bar, imported groceries, home décor and restaurant have shoppers buzzing.
• An 18-year-old Johannesburg matric learner named Thabang went from asking for matric dance donations at a Fourways traffic light to enjoying the special celebration.
• Helen Zille turned heads at LSB Fourways after jumping behind the DJ decks during an event, sending South Africans into a frenzy on social media.

Source: Briefly News