RIP Dennis Hammar

[cadenceblur]

Moderator note: Split this out from Cape Town Danger Areas to create a dedicated thread


Another incident the N1 area again I believe

[splat]

3 hours ago, cadenceblur said:

Another incident the N1 area again I believe

If its the same one that I heard about, they only took the phone.
Victim has a laundry list of injuries. Hectic !

[cadenceblur]

1 minute ago, splat said:

If its the same one that I heard about, they only took the phone.
Victim has a laundry list of injuries. Hectic !

Sounds like it yes 

[cadenceblur]

On 7/28/2025 at 3:46 PM, splat said:

If its the same one that I heard about, they only took the phone.
Victim has a laundry list of injuries. Hectic !

Been informed that he passed away due to complications post surgery . RIP

[cadenceblur]

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B1Ns7Qv6j/?mibextid=wwXIfr

[Wannabe]

This is really heartbreaking. 77 years old, going out for a cycle to stay fit and healthy, only to get murdered by a cretin for a cellphone (or was anything stolen at all)

Hopefully the powers that be will now take notice and action. Sad that a person had to lose his life due to the inaction of the authorities.

@PPA and @Stay wider of the Rider, I trust you will act swiftly and in the best interest of the cyclists.

RIP fellow rider, and condolences to his family and friends.

 

[Prince Albert Cycles]

15 minutes ago, cadenceblur said:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B1Ns7Qv6j/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Terrible .

[Skubarra]

23 minutes ago, cadenceblur said:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B1Ns7Qv6j/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Terrible news, so unnecessary 

[DieselnDust]

46 minutes ago, Wannabe said:

This is really heartbreaking. 77 years old, going out for a cycle to stay fit and healthy, only to get murdered by a cretin for a cellphone (or was anything stolen at all)

Hopefully the powers that be will now take notice and action. Sad that a person had to lose his life due to the inaction of the authorities.

@PPA and @Stay wider of the Rider, I trust you will act swiftly and in the best interest of the cyclists.

RIP fellow rider, and condolences to his family and friends.

 

 A cycling pal of mine 😥

[tubed]

RIP Dennis Hammar.

Like I've said here before it's an absolute disgrace that the citizens of Cape Town are held hostage to these bastards.

We cannot call ourselves a world class city when one of the only remaining major access points is unsafe to the point of losing your life.

Our mayor and premier are sitting on their hands on this one.

 

[ChrisF]

3 hours ago, tubed said:

.....

Our mayor and premier are sitting on their hands on this one.

 

Well said .... 😡😡

[mikkelz]

5 hours ago, cadenceblur said:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B1Ns7Qv6j/?mibextid=wwXIfr

F*ck, that is tragic. 😠

[mikkelz]

https://www.facebook.com/ianmcmahon115/posts/pfbid02SR4rSDhKpDc9dJy8K9m72sLXd3aT6WcTXPq1RWzUztmnPSZgFYw9gD7nepGk9DKsl

Saw this comment in the original post.

Quote

This sad incident has again rocked the cycling community and so I'm just sharing plans on what actions are being taken by the relevant landowners!

🙄

[DJR]

14 hours ago, mikkelz said:

https://www.facebook.com/ianmcmahon115/posts/pfbid02SR4rSDhKpDc9dJy8K9m72sLXd3aT6WcTXPq1RWzUztmnPSZgFYw9gD7nepGk9DKsl

Saw this comment in the original post.

🙄

My reply to Councillr McMahon (please feel free to pass it on anyone with the skills):

Dear Councillor

I do not care about when the next of your endless meetings or cases or planning sessions are going to be.

WHAT I CARE ABOUT IS WHEN THE NEXT FUNERAL IS GOING TO BE! OR THE NEXT EMERGENCY WARD VISIT TO GET STAB WOUNDS OR BROKEN BONES REPAIRED. OR THE NEXT VISIT TO THE POLICE STATION TO GET NO HELP. WHEN THE NEXT MUGGING IN AN ENDLESS LINE OF MORE OF THE SAME? 

Answer me that!

Yours very sincerely

DJR

 

Edited July 31, 2025 by DJR

[mazambaan]

18 hours ago, tubed said:

RIP Dennis Hammar.

Like I've said here before it's an absolute disgrace that the citizens of Cape Town are held hostage to these bastards.

We cannot call ourselves a world class city when one of the only remaining major access points is unsafe to the point of losing your life.

Our mayor and premier are sitting on their hands on this one.

 

It is a very tough one and condolences to Dennis's family and friends; horrible deed by horrible people empowered by inaction by "government".  But such is SA as, with friends and I closing on Dennis's age we often recount how we used to ride here and there but only the very brave or foolhardy (in our opinion of course) do it now.  But it is hard to accept that the places you loved have gone, likely forever so it is adapt or....... well, take on risk.

Essentially expecting the mayor or premier to act is correct but unlikely; even adding other possibilities like PPA engaging private security and SAPS is likely to be, at best, a temporary reprieve from SA's harsh reality.

[Mamil]

6 hours ago, DJR said:

My reply to Councillr McMahon (please feel free to pass it on anyone with the skills):

Dear Councillor

I do not care about when the next of your endless meetings or cases or planning sessions are going to be.

WHAT I CARE ABOUT IS WHEN THE NEXT FUNERAL IS GOING TO BE! OR THE NEXT EMERGENCY WARD VISIT TO GET STAB WOUNDS OR BRKEN BONES REPAIRED. OR THE NEXT VISIT TO THE POLICE STATION TO GET NO HELP. WHEN THE NEXT MUGGING IN AN ENDLESS LINE OF MORE OF THE SAME? 

Answer me that!

Yours very sincerely

DJR

 

Here's mine email to him

 

Dear Mr McMahon,

 

I have some comments with regard to your comment on social media quoted here -

:

"Very sad about shocking attack and death of cyclist Dennis Hammar last week. Condolences to his family & friends and the broader cycling community.

Transnet, the landowner for the stretch along the N1 near the CBD entrance have shared a status around their legal plans around the Eviction case for this stretch of land. It encompasses from Old Marine Drive near Culemborg to just past the WOMAG interchanged to Paarden Eiland, covering 10 different sites and includes over 400 individuals

The next hearing is next week, which will hopefully set the main hearing date as DHA are joining the matter. We are hopeful that Transnet are near the end stages in resolving this area and safety can be restored to this key travel corridor.

This sad incident has again rocked the cycling community and so I'm just sharing plans on what actions are being taken by the relevant landowners!

Condolences again!"

 

The attack and death are not shocking at all - they are predictable. Anyone who rides a bicycle from the Southern or Northern suburbs to the CBD knows that the cycle path is unusable and has been for a long time. 

 

The route from the waterfront past the CTICC is itself a workaround route to avoid the cycle path. The illegal use of the N1 to get to Paarden Eiland or to take the Church street offramp to Woodstock was a similar workaround route and is also now not usable. There have been attacks in places closely adjacent to where Mr Hammar was assaulted in recent history. The uniform experience of law enforcement's response to those of us who have reported attacks, is one of indifference and ineptitude.

 

I know you are aware of the protest ride that was held how long ago now? And still the cycle path route is unusable and the surrounding workarounds are becoming progressively less safe.

 

Given this, perhaps you can understand that those of us who commute and ride recreationally doubt the strength of the political will to deal with the lack of non-motorised transport in the city.

 

Here's another example - the Riverclub development redesigns the roads around it in a way that gives zero consideration to bicycles. Not only is there no cycle path, but the development increases traffic volume and the new road layout creates a series of charming little pinch points which endanger the lives of riders. And this on the only viable cycling route into the CBD .

 

At the same time, the city circulates a pie-in-the-sky NMT proposal that, given the state of the roads and the existing infrastructure, reads like it was knocked out by chatgpt in an optimistic mood.

 

So I'm tapping out this message to you to indicate my displeasure at the situation, to predict that there will be additional attacks and probably deaths in the immediate future of the cycling community and that the general perception amongst us is that there is lip-service paid to addressing the multi-factorial crisis that underpins NMT in CT in general, but  a dearth of real action. 

 

Yours in anticipation of more talk and signalling of intent, but no tangible result.