At a spinning car and stunts event hosted at the Makhado (Louis Trichardt) Showgrounds on Saturday evening, a vehicle spun out of control and collided with spectators. At least two onlookers were hurt in the accident.

The 14-year-old Igar Buys suffered a fractured leg and was admitted to the Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital. Tasneem Mohammed (20) received a blow on the hip and bruises, but was discharged from hospital the same day. The accident occurred around 21:30 on July 15.

The young Igar said on Monday that when the vehicle struck Tasneem, he tried to dodge and his foot got caught in the tyres which act as a low barrier between the spinning cars and the spectators.

“As I was taking my foot out of the tyre, the car hit my right leg with its rear end. There were policemen and men from the traffic department. There were so many people that they did not notice at first that we had been hurt. When Tasneem’s friend carried her to his car, the police asked what the problem was and said that there was an ambulance on the site to take us to hospital,” Igar said.

The event entailed drivers’ getting out of their cars to perform daring stunts as they spin their cars around in a cloud of smoke. “But is this type of event legal?” many people ask, and to whom did the municipality rent out the showgrounds for that event? What rules are there to regulate dangerous events like this and under what ordinance is it allowed?

Questions like these were met by the municipality by passing the buck from one person to the other, with those with the relevant knowledge not in their offices, on leave or too occupied. Mention was made of a letter of indemnity where the municipality was not to be held liable in any cases of injury or damage. It was confirmed by the Traffic Department that they had been called out to this particular event. This did not seem to be the kind of event regularly hosted at the showgrounds.

“Since 2000, it is the first time that I have heard that the traffic department was called out for an event like this,” the Acting Superintendent of Traffic, Mr Joshua Nethavhani, said. The public relations officer, Mr Peter Muleya, had not responded to media enquiries by the time of going to press.

Local police spokesperson Inspector Nelwamato Vele said on Tuesday that the accident was not reflected in the police register. This was despite the fact that members of the police force were present at the car stunts event.

In the course of the evening, residents contacted the Soutpansberg Town Watch because of the rowdiness of the event. Soon afterwards, the Town Watch was informed that the police and traffic department were on the scene and they need not come.

Some residents were not satisfied to have this type of event hosted in their town.