Illegal spinners seek City’s support to make it legal, safe
Cape Town - The Cape Town spinning community wants the City of Cape Town and other authorities to come to the party to make the sport safe and enjoyable for everyone.
This after the City continue to clamp down on the increased number of illegal spinning events in the city and the growing importance of safety.
The illegal spinning events usually take place on a Sunday, where up to 40 spinners (drivers) participate, spinning their vehicles while creating entertainment.
Recently, the activity has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, especially regarding the safety of spectators.
Spinning organiser Jason Du Preez, from Spinning Addiction, said the City's gripe was that there was no emergency personnel.
Last month a video surfaced of a burnout that took place near the Heideveld train station where a spectator was hit by the boot of a modified BMW performing “donuts”.
In the video, as the vehicle swerves, and takes a sharp turn, the spectator is knocked to the ground as the car's boot hits him. The man was reportedly not injured. “If the City wants us to come to them and do it the legal way we are happy to do it, just build a pitch,” Du Preez said.
“This brings people together, no matter the race, colour or what gang they belong to.”
Jonathan Schaffers of Supporting People In Need said these illegal events won't stop due to the City closing down a pitch.
Schaffers temporarily ran a legal pitch called the Hills in Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain in 2020 but it was shut down due to noise and smoke concerns.
He said that the reduction in crime during that time was a spinning events.
Maxine Bezuidenhout, spokesperson for Traffic Service, said they regularly receive complaints of illegal spinning across the metro.
The City's Traffic Service, including members of the Ghost Squad, attends to the complaints once received.
According to Bezuidenhout, due to the many operational demands, officers cannot be everywhere in the city and do as much as possible.
In the past, the City supported events like DRIFT City and in October 2022, with the partnership of the Western Cape Motor Club, a 4500m²
result of the spinning pitch for the drifting and spinning community was constructed at the Killarney International Raceway.
The spinning community, however, said Killarney was too far and took the excitement away.
Grand Master DJ Ready D, real name Deon Daniels also a motorsport enthusiast, lamented that Killarney was the only venue in the city and not in reach for so many people.
“The big thing is with getting venues legalised. Another big thing that needs to be taken into account is the zoning as well as environmental aspects and the noise pollution around these venues,” he said.
“More could be done in the future by all parties in terms of spinning events to grow the sport.”
“The authorities and organisers can definitely do more to assist, but when we say do more we look at it from all sides,” he said.
Meanwhile, Schaffers explained: “We are going to break our cars here for someone to make money, but what do we benefit from?”
Du Preez added: “At the end of the day that is more for drag racing, when there are spinning events it is once in a blue moon and people have to pay money.”
Bezuidenhout said the City welcomes discussions with organised spinning groups to seek alternative, safe and dedicated areas to allow for such events.