Pulsating Disc over South Africa

What was reported

At 4 a.m. an object over Pretoria was filmed on a borrowed camcorder by a police sergeant; the footage shows a disc with a dome, slightly pulsating, with lights flashing around it, and his companions agreed it was unusual. A police helicopter flown by Superintendent Fred Viljoen with four passengers, and a police car, followed the disc from Centurion north-east toward Cullinan; after hovering briefly it accelerated away, easily outdistancing the helicopter, which climbed to 3000 ft. Viljoen remarked on its speed and undulating motion. It was also seen from Mamelodi at 70 degrees elevation. Police later told an Afrinews contact it was a publicity stunt for the film Independence Day. Hind adds that asteroid 1991 CS made a near-Earth pass and Brazil launched a Sonda II rocket that night.

What Hind made of it

Hind doubts the hoax claim: a stunt of this scale would cost a great deal and the film's publicity had run for weeks already, so it seems unnecessary, though she keeps it in mind; she notes the surname confusion in the reports.

Explanation offered
police say a publicity hoax for the film Independence Day; Hind notes asteroid 1991 CS near-Earth fly-by (0.0620 AU) and Brazil's Sonda II rocket launch the same night

In their words

• it is something to bear in mind as one never knows how far people will go!!

• After hovering for a short while, it suddenly took off at great speed.

Cross references

• MUFON friends
• Independence Day (film)
• Asteroid 1991 CS fly-by
• Sonda II rocket probe, Brazil

Connected

• The morning the police chased a light to BronkhorstspruitStorySame window

  The casebook story is the 28 August 1996 Pretoria police light: 4 a.m. pulsing light, helicopter, patrol cars, white spot at sunrise, R4000 bill.

• Pretoria police video: not Venus (Front Row follow-up)Case fileHind follow-up

  Hind flown to Johannesburg for M-Net Front Row, 17 April 1997, with Viljoen and Stander; having first agreed with a reader that it was Venus, she reverses to 'not Venus' on seeing the tape.

• Pulsating Disc: Superintendent Viljoen's helicopter chase over GautengCase fileNamed person

  Sgt Nico Stander, Supt Fred Viljoen and Tinus de Beer appear in both; Stander's surname is already confused (Bekker) in the first report.

• Two constables on the Bronkhorstspruit roadStorySame place

  Both are police accounts on the Bronkhorstspruit road east of Pretoria, 31 years apart: a copper disc on the tar in 1965; a patrol car near Bronkhorstspruit flashing blue lights under the 1996 object.

Source

Cynthia Hind, UFO Afrinews No 15 (January 1997), spread 08-09

In the archive

This case became a story on this site.

1996 · South Africa

The morning the police chased a light to Bronkhorstspruit

A pulsing light over Pretoria at four in the morning drew out seven patrol cars and a helicopter. At sunrise it became a white spot. The bill was R4000.

LOLow observability

Press report

Nearby

Stories within 60 km

• Two constables on the Bronkhorstspruit road 1965 · 10 km
• The hospital that closed on Boxing Day 1996 · 37 km
• The golden ball over the Langham Hotel 1946 · 57 km