1965: South African constables observe’s object on highway

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THINK ABOUTIT UFO SIGHTING REPORT

Date: September 16, 1965

Sighting Time: after midnight

Day/Night: Night

Location: Pretoria, South Africa

Urban or Rural: Rural

Hynek Classification: NL (Nocturnal Light) Point or extended luminous source observed at night.

Duration: seconds

No. of Object(s):  1

Size of Object(s): 30 feet in diameter

Distance to Object(s):

Shape of Object(s): disc

Color of Object(s): copper

Number of Witnesses: Multiple

Source: Associated Press, Johannesburg, S. Africa, Sept.17, 1965.

Summary/Description: On the night of September 16 two Pretoria, S. Africa, constables came upon a disc-shaped object resting on the highway. The headlights of their police van illuminated the copper-colored object which appeared to be about 30 feet in diameter. On top of the UFO was a small dome. In seconds the UFO suddenly lifted off the road, emitting tongues of flame.

Full Report

During an extensive wave of sightings in 1965, police officers in Exeter, N.H. and Damon, Texas both had close-range encounters with UFOs – structured objects with body lights – on September 3.  On the night of September 16 two Pretoria, S. Africa, constables came upon a disc-shaped object resting on the Pretoria – Bronkhorstspruit highway. The headlights of their police van illuminated the copper-colored object which appeared to be about 30 feet in diameter. On top of the UFO was a small dome.

Constables John Lockem and Koos de Klerk had been patrolling the highway just after midnight when they suddenly drove up on the object. In seconds the UFO suddenly lifted off the road, emitting tongues of flame from two tubes or channels on the underside. “Its lift-off was quicker than anything I have ever seen,” Constable Lockem reported later. Flames from the macadam (tar and gravel) road surface shot up three feet in the air as the UFO departed, blazing long after it was out of sight. Later investigation showed that part of the road was caved in, evidently from a heavy weight, and gravel had been separated from the tar in a severely burned area about six feet in diameter.

Constable Lockem drew a sketch of the UFO with the aid of a staff artist of the newspaper Die Vaterland. The District Commandant of Pretoria North, Lt. Col. J.B. Brits, told the newspaper that the event was considered “as being of a highly secret nature and an inquiry is being conducted in top circles.”

Samples of the damaged road surface were analyzed by a leading scientific agency in South Africa. NICAP has been unable to obtain copies of the analysis reports.

Flying Disc Lands on Highway, Pretoria, South Africa, 09-16-65

Features: Vehicle encounter, confrontation, police witnesses, landing, physical traces, official secrecy.

Constables John lockem and Koos de Klerk were patrolling on the Pretoria-Bronkhorstspruit highway just after midnight when their police van headlights suddenly illuminated a domed, disc-shaped object sitting on the road. The UFO was copper colored and about 30 feet in diameter In seconds, the object lifted off the road, emitting tongues of flame from two tubes or channels on the underside.

“Its lift-off was quicker than anything I have ever seen.” Constable Lockem said.

Flames from the macadam road surface shot up in the air about 3 feet as the UFO departed, blazing long after it was out of sight. Later investigation showed that part of the road was caved in as if from a heavy weight, and gravel had been separated from the tar in a severely burned area about 6 feet in diameter.

Lt. Col. J.B. Brits, District Commandant of Pretoria North, told the newspaper that the incident was considered “as being of a highly secret nature and an inquiry is being conducted in top circles”. Samples of the road surface were taken for analysis by a leading scientific agency; whose report has never been made public.

written by Richard Hall

Original Source UFOs: A New Look (NICAP 1969); Associated Press, Johannesburg, S. Africa, Sept.17, 1965.