Criminals target cyclists on M4

CYCLISTS and runners have once again become targets for criminals on the M4 bridge over the Umgeni River. Three cyclists were attacked and robbed near the Riverside Road off-ramp this month.

On Monday morning (25 May), 21-year-old Rivers Braatvedt was on his way to work when three men confronted him. Braatvedt approached the Waterkant Road off-ramp when the three men jumped out of the bushes on the right and slowly walked across the road.

“I had hopped the pavement onto the road and cycled between them when the man on my left grabbed my packsack and yanked me off of my bicycle. As they surrounded me a tussle ensued between me and the man in front of me. I managed to hit him in the face three times. I then grabbed the man who was standing behind me on the left and swung him into the man I had just punched. At that moment the guy on my right hit me with a right hook,” he told the Northglen News on Thursday.Braatvedt stumbled back and tripped over the curb, causing him to fall onto his back on the pavement. This time the men confronted him with a knife, demanding that he hand over his backpack.When he complied they fled into the mangroves.

A concerned fellow cyclist, Anton van Wyk, said he was ‘sick and tired’ of the attacks. “The authorities don’t seem interested in doing anything about the issue. It is getting worse and worse. Many cyclists have begun arming themselves with pepper spray and pocket knives,” he said.

Councillor, Shaun Ryley, echoed the sentiments, saying the city has been encouraging the public to use the facilities in the area but were not taking proper precautions to ensure the safety of the people.

He confirmed that a meeting had been scheduled with the Durban North SAPS, the Umgeni Park CPF, victims and members of the special crime intelligence unit to set up an action plan.

Lt Raymond Deokaran of the Durban North SAPS said police have also been implementing special operations to catch the criminals, and will be conducting more patrols on a regular basis.

He warned that the criminals were primarily targeting people in the early mornings, around 6.15am, and in the late evenings.

In the past criminals have also pounced on unsuspecting victims from behind the pillars and bushes at the Ellis Brown Viaduct’s tower. Between January and March, eight people had been attacked in that vicinity. Three fed-up Durban North residents then took it upon themselves to clear the bush.

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