Streaker at busy intersection causes at least 5 crashes

Johannesburg - A streaker at a busy Brits intersection will either be hit by a vehicle or a fist, say local residents and street hawkers.

Netwerk24 reported on Tuesday that the man, known only as Lucky, has caused at least five accidents.

Nobody knows where Lucky comes from or what his surname is, but the general assumption is that he is "mad", say street traders.

He regularly strips off his clothes and then runs about at the intersection of Hendrik Verwoerd and Crocodile Street in Brits. Sometimes he hammers at vehicle windows, and other times he simply stands in the middle of the road.

Swerve

Car guard Norman Lebele told Netwerk24 that vehicles have to dodge and drive around Lucky, and that he had seen Lucky cause a crash in February, another in April and one last week.

Francois Rudolph had to swerve three times to avoid Lucky last week, and then crashed into another car. His bakkie and the car were both written off and he injured his left arm and sustained cuts to his head. The woman in the other car suffered two broken arms.

Rudolph told how he saw a man standing naked except for a piece of cloth around his waist. He walked up to Rudolph with his hand in the air "like a traffic officer", indicating he must stop.

Rudolph braked and swerved left, but when Lucky moved he had to swerve right, and then tried to drive around Lucky before colliding with the other car.

Danger to himself

Police officers at the scene of the accident told Rudolph they were aware of the problems Lucky causes, but it takes a lot of work to get him admitted to a psychiatric hospital. "And if I hit him and killed him? Then I would be up for culpable homicide," Rudolph noted.

On Monday, Lucky was seen walking on the road. At one point he took off his shirt but later put it on again. A street trader said apart from the vehicles on the road, Lucky doesn't really bother anybody.

"He cannot help that he is crazy, but he is a danger to himself and others. Someone will have to help him," the trader said.

Police did not respond to Netwerk24's queries.