Cape Town danger areas

[mazambaan]

12 hours ago, 117 said:

Or, go be heard at the local town council meetings, and if that doesn't work, then vote for someone else to govern the city

Well, best of luck with that. But there are always choices, I cannot see that voting for some other entity, in the CT and SA context, to govern the city will miraculously make cycling in danger areas safer. Take precautions; groups, guns and moering tools, harass the authorities and lobby groups or move to where it is perceived to be safer, areas, closed trails, other countries or accept the random risk. Eish.

[MORNE]

1 hour ago, mazambaan said:

Well, best of luck with that. But there are always choices, I cannot see that voting for some other entity, in the CT and SA context, to govern the city will miraculously make cycling in danger areas safer. Take precautions; groups, guns and moering tools, harass the authorities and lobby groups or move to where it is perceived to be safer, areas, closed trails, other countries or accept the random risk. Eish.

Also brings it back to the actual problem in that spot….local gov has no pull to remove people from that PRASA owned land.

Ive already mentioned it but It took years, an election, a coalition government and new ministers for national gov to finally agree that a national keypoint, heritage and tourist attraction (the castle) shouldnt be a squatter camp - which finally gave local gov the scope to get vagrants moved. 

we all know WC government has been lobbying for years to be allowed to self regulate local rail infrastructure too - you know, to hopefully get it to a point where it actually is useful to the people of CT again.

The fish unfortunately rots from the head….

[splat]

10 hours ago, Robbie Stewart said:

I'm pretty sure I'm missing the obvious, but I'm curious how putting up signs by the danger spots to warn cyclists not to ride there will solve anything. Especially as the article suggests that out of town cyclists would not know the risks of the area so they need to be warned. In Afrikaans there's an idiom that aptly applies to this; "dit is mosterd na die maal". If a cyclist finds themself on that stretch of road with seconds to spare before they get mugged, I fail to understand what benefit a colourful sign will add to the already messed up affair? 

I'm also curious how anyone thinks to put signage up to warn cyclists off their poor life choices is better than removing the vermin that causes the problem in the first place. 

THIS is why I don't support the PPA. I just don't see the value they bring to the table. They need to do better than this.

Those signs are all over the place, including MTB routes and hiking trails.
It's not a PPA thing, but its the best that an entity with no real power can achieve.
They best they can do is attempt to warn you.
Its better than nothing.
(Sort of...)

But the 'rotten fish heads' don't do much and feel that a 'Band Aid has been put over the tumour', so it's OK for now.
(Two quotes previously used by other Hubbers)

[robbybzgo]

Just image if 1000 hubbers put in R15 a month into a fund to put a security company on the spot/s patrolling in those problem areas until the situation is resolved.

I live in Durbs but I'd contribute...or maybe with every sale in bikehub, R5 is contributed to this fund.

(PS: we could apply same for other problem areas countrywide - this could be kinda revolutionary, just like a bicycle wheel..ha ha)

[mazambaan]

8 hours ago, robbybzgo said:

Just image if 1000 hubbers put in R15 a month into a fund to put a security company on the spot/s patrolling in those problem areas until the situation is resolved.

I live in Durbs but I'd contribute...or maybe with every sale in bikehub, R5 is contributed to this fund.

(PS: we could apply same for other problem areas countrywide - this could be kinda revolutionary, just like a bicycle wheel..ha ha)

I think someone from KZN has touched on private security being quite to very "effective" in many parts of KZN. But the political dynamics are a little different in that SAPS generally turns a blind eye or works with the private security (see numbers of CIT robbers etc getting shot). This may not be the case in WC. But, just about anywhere in SA, if you want to be safe, or have your property protected, private security is needed; "government" is mostly useless or involved in crime.  Rant over.

[Wannabe]

Just keep in mind that the land these criminals are staying on does not belong to COCT, but Prasa and Transnet. COCT does not have jurisdiction there.

The Ministry of Transport / Minister Barbra Creecy is the dept in control of those parcels of land. So rather bombard her and her office with mails, as ultimately the buck stops with her.

bcreecy@parliament.gov.za

TransportMinistry@dot.gov.za

 

[Jono]

On 12/12/2024 at 12:58 PM, Jono said:

Descending Constantia Nek this morning on the Hout Bay side, came across a bag of cement that had been dropped on the road, causing a hazardous raised section. This is just after the sharpish right hand turn. I have logged a service request on the COCT site. 

On a positive note. This was sorted out within 1 day of logging.

[Meezo]

Another mugging on the Woodstock bridge this morning, as witnessed by someone in our DC WhatsApp group

[Wannabe]

1 hour ago, Meezo said:

Another mugging on the Woodstock bridge this morning, as witnessed by someone in our DC WhatsApp group

Perhaps our esteemed Mayco member must receive a number of not so friendly e-mails in this regard. 

[X-Man]

2 hours ago, Meezo said:

Another mugging on the Woodstock bridge this morning, as witnessed by someone in our DC WhatsApp group

We were on our way from Town along the Lower Main Road  approaching Lower Church  Street Bridge  to N1 intersection when fellow rider was standing  on the side of the  road.  He  was pushed  off his  bike  on  the  top  of the  bridge Perp grabbed his  phone and ran  down  to traintracks. 

Luckily no serious injuries just bruised Hip  and  elbow.

[DJR]

It seems some of our esteemed Mayco members are currently too busy getting their offices raided by the police (themselves a very dodgy lot) looking for evidence of corrupt dealings, to do much about the safety of Woodstock and a few vulnerably cyclists. 

(Ok, I know that I'm now just being a tad bitchy........bite me!)

[milky4130]

Still saw plenty of riders using the N1 stretch yesterday albeit leaving town, round about 8:30'ish. Solo riders and groups splitting from each other.

[MarcW]

On 1/25/2025 at 12:15 PM, X-Man said:

We were on our way from Town along the Lower Main Road  approaching Lower Church  Street Bridge  to N1 intersection when fellow rider was standing  on the side of the  road.  He  was pushed  off his  bike  on  the  top  of the  bridge Perp grabbed his  phone and ran  down  to traintracks. 

Luckily no serious injuries just bruised Hip  and  elbow.

This was a friend of mine, the phone must have moved quickly to a syndicate somewhere nearby - they managed to gain access to his bank accounts and clean him out. I suspect using some kind of phishing tactic. Big financial loss for him on top of a traumatic experience and now having to deal with a fraud case at the bank. 

Edited January 28, 2025 by MarcW

[X-Man]

54 minutes ago, MarcW said:

This was a friend of mine, the phone must have moved quickly to a syndicate somewhere nearby - they managed to gain access to his bank accounts and clean him out. I suspect using some kind of phishing tactic. Big financial loss for him on top of a traumatic experience and now having to deal with a fraud case at the bank. 

Terribly  sorry to hear.. Pray theres  light at  end of  tunnel for  him and  that  the  Banks are able  to credit his  funds! Please  do send  him  my regards

[Meezo]

On 1/28/2025 at 10:38 AM, MarcW said:

This was a friend of mine, the phone must have moved quickly to a syndicate somewhere nearby - they managed to gain access to his bank accounts and clean him out. I suspect using some kind of phishing tactic. Big financial loss for him on top of a traumatic experience and now having to deal with a fraud case at the bank. 

been thinking about this quite a bit of late... i do recall the same has happened to someone else with regards to being cleaned out... what i'm thinking about is how?

if he has any detail, and is willing to share... would be nice to know what i (we) can do to not suffer the same fate, 1st off to not get robbed and 2nd should we get robbed they can't "clean" us out

[MongooseMan]

https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/msspeechdetail.php?nid=58672

Quote

Following numerous complaints of robberies involving cyclists and pedestrians who are robbed and injured at Lower Church Street and the N1 Highway, Woodstock police compiled an operational plan to deal with the situation at hand. A integrated operation between SAPS and other law enforcement agencies were conducted on Friday morning, 31 January 2025 which resulted in the arrest of several suspects.

During this operation, 18 undocumented persons were arrested. The members conducted searches and arrested three suspects for the possession on drugs and one for the possession of a dangerous weapon.

The suspects will appear in the Cape Town Magistrates’ court on Monday.

These operations will continue to clamp down on the crime in the area. We appeal to the public to implement safety measures such as to keep valuable items out of site, walk in groups, be aware of their surroundings and report all criminal activities.