Photo of a rod hanging from a bridge was taken in Scotland, not South Africa

A Facebook post published on June 10, 2021, includes the photo, taken at night, of a pole hanging from a bridge over a carriageway.

“They’re now moving from spikes to hanging metal bars on the bridges,” the post’s caption reads.

The post also lists several routes with a warning for motorists in South Africa’s most populous province of Gauteng.

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A screenshot of the false Facebook post, taken on June 11, 2021

The picture, however, was not taken in South Africa. AFP performed a reverse image search of the photo, which led to articles about an incident in the UK.

Dangling pole

Scotland’s Press and Journal report on March 31, 2020, describes how driver Alex Strang saw the object hanging from the overhead bridge on his way from Alness to Glasglow. 

He decided to stop as the road wasn’t too busy and was shocked to discover a wooden stake dangling on hazard tape. Strang called the police.

The UK driver also posted the picture on Facebook on March 31, 2020, along with two other similar pictures. The location is geotagged as Raigmore Interchange -- in Inverness, Scotland.

AFP Fact Check contacted Strang who confirmed that he took the photo and that the object was a wooden stick.

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A screenshot of Alex Strang’s Facebook post, taken on June 11 2021

Other Scottish media including the Strathspey and Badenoch Herald covered the incident. 

Emergency services warned drivers in the area to be vigilant in a statement on April 3, 2020, referring to a metal pipe.

Spikes in South Africa

On May 21, 2021, Gauteng province traffic police warned of a rise in spikes being placed strategically on roads at night -- in an attempt to rob drivers.

“The placing of spikes has resulted in many road users involved in unwarranted accidents and some even losing their lives through these ruthless acts,” Guteng Traffic Police spokesman Sello Maremane said in a statement.

Robbers have also thrown hard objects from overhead bridges as a way to stop motorists, the police noted, adding that the incidents mainly occurred between 6:00 pm and 4:00 am on weekends. 

The following routes had been identified as hotspots:

- The N4 Mpumalanga to Pretoria between Solomon Mahlangu and Watermeyer Offramp.
- The N4 Pretoria to Mpumalanga between Bronkhorstspruit and Balmoral off-ramp.
- The N1 Polokwane N4 Mpumalanga interchange in Pretoria.
- The N4 to Rustenburg between R80 Mabopane Freeway and Brits plaza tollgate.
- Golden Highway.
- R21 Freeway from OR Tambo International Airport to Pretoria.