Crime

Spring Day Chaos Leaves Civilians Drenched, Injured and Stranded Across Gauteng

PrimeTime News Desk Published 9 September 2026

6 min read

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On 1 September 2026, Spring Day celebrations in parts of Gauteng, particularly townships in and around Tshwane and other areas, involved groups of children and young people throwing buckets of water at pedestrians, motorists, taxis, buses and delivery vehicles. What has traditionally involved children spraying water on each other to mark the start of spring escalated in multiple locations into incidents affecting non-participants.

In Refilwe near Cullinan, approximately 30 km east of Pretoria, a group of young people poured water on passing pedestrians. A confrontation occurred when they attempted to splash a 53-year-old man. The altercation turned physical. The 53-year-old allegedly stabbed 21-year-old Tshepang Nyathi. Nyathi was rushed to a medical facility and declared deceased on arrival, according to South African Police Service reports. Community members apprehended the suspect a short distance from the scene; he was assaulted before police arrived, received medical treatment at a local clinic, and was arrested. Nyathi’s family, including his aunt Monino Nyathi, confirmed the details of the incident. The accused later abandoned his bail application at the Cullinan Magistrate’s Court.

Tshwane Bus Service reported that two of its buses were damaged in separate incidents in Lotus Gardens and Danville. In one case, a group of young people blocked a road in Lotus Gardens around 4:50 pm, verbally abused a bus driver and demanded that the doors be opened. Videos showed crowds around buses, with people climbing onto roofs and dancing. The service stated that the damage left two buses out of operation, affecting more than 300 passengers the following day, many of them pupils and students. The organisation said: “Our kids and community went overboard and damaged assets that serve them.”

Multiple videos circulated on social media showing youths throwing water at taxis, buses, service delivery vehicles, cars and people. In some clips, children opened vehicle doors or boots to throw water inside at passengers. Delivery riders on motorcycles were hit with water; some fell from their bikes while trying to avoid the groups. Motorists were seen nearly colliding with groups of children while attempting to evade being splashed. In certain videos, children appeared to attempt to take items from vehicles they had targeted.

Elderly people and non-consenting adults were among those targeted. Footage showed an elderly man in Orange Farm being soaked and touched inappropriately by children. Other clips depicted elders and a cyclist being repeatedly soaked while their belongings lay on the ground. A man in a wheelchair was among those doused. In Tembisa, Moruti Majomane Makgato Machaba reported being drenched with water, hit and humiliated by children while carrying out maintenance work. He stated that children had opened car doors, soaked seats and wet people’s books and belongings.

Private security company Tshenolo Private Investigations reported that three criminal cases were registered with police in connection with Spring Day incidents. These involved alleged theft, bullying, intimidation and physical assault. Victims were targeted after refusing to participate in being splashed. One case opened at Atteridgeville police station involves five individuals, three of school-going age and two slightly older; the alleged perpetrators were identified. The company was also aware of twin brothers in Winterveldt who were allegedly assaulted after refusing to have cold and dirty water poured over them. At least three further cases were in the process of being formally opened. One reported incident involved a woman whose cellphone was stolen by a child involved in the activities. Another involved a man from Rustenburg allegedly assaulted by a child in school uniform.

In some areas, empty buckets were thrown at people during altercations while bystanders laughed and cheered. Passengers travelling on the backs of bakkies were drenched, and empty buckets were thrown at them. Documents, electronics and other belongings were damaged by water in reported cases.

The incidents occurred against a background of existing water shortages in parts of Gauteng, where authorities including Rand Water have issued repeated warnings. Spring Day has long involved children playfully spraying water on each other, but reports from 1 September 2026 documented widespread targeting of adults, motorists, public transport and property.

Trouble maker neutralised by taxi driver after damaging his property pic.twitter.com/gEKSpxffx7
— PrimeTime News (@PrimeTimeNewsZA) September 9, 2026

Police confirmed the fatal stabbing investigation in Cullinan. Tshwane municipal spokespersons acknowledged the bus damage. Multiple victims and witnesses were advised by security companies and police channels to report further incidents formally.

Two suspected robbers die in crash after armed filling station robbery in Dennilton

Two men suspected of involvement in an armed robbery at a filling station died in a motor vehicle crash in the Marble Hall policing area on Tuesday morning, 8 September 2026. Firearms and ammunition recovered from the wrecked vehicle have been linked to the earlier robbery in Dennilton, Sekhukhune District, Limpopo.

According to police, approximately 13 men, armed with handguns and rifles, stormed a filling station at Moteti Complex in Dennilton at around 02:30. The group confronted security guards and a cashier before moving to the cash office. They used an explosive device to breach a drop safe and stole an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspects then fled the premises on foot while firing several shots.

Members of the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Unit took control of the crime scene. Investigators recovered several pistol and rifle cartridges at the site.

At approximately 05:10, police received a report of a white Nissan Navara with Mpumalanga registration plates that had overturned along the R573 road between Slaagboom and Siyabuswa, heading towards Marble Hall. Officers found two male occupants at the scene. The driver was certified dead at the scene. The passenger, who had sustained serious head injuries, was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he later died while receiving medical treatment.

During the examination of the crash scene, police recovered the following items:

One R5 rifle
Two R5 magazines
56 rounds of R5 ammunition
Two 9mm pistols
One empty 9mm magazine
One 9mm round of ammunition

Cases of possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, as well as culpable homicide, were registered at Marble Hall SAPS. The two deceased men were identified as males aged 34 and 35. Preliminary investigations have positively linked both men and the recovered firearms to the Dennilton filling station robbery.

Police say the investigation remains active. Officers are working to identify and arrest the remaining members of the group involved in the robbery. Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant General Jan Scheepers described the recovery of the firearms and the linkage of the deceased suspects to the robbery as a significant breakthrough, while noting that efforts continue to locate the other suspects.