Cape Town danger areas

[Robbie Stewart]

4 minutes ago, mikkelz said:

Sheesh, that sucks! Glad you are ok. 🙏

Is riding through Cloetesville not an option? e.g. on Lang Rd.

I was riding back from Jonkershoek via the R44 once and when I passed Cloetesville, There was a couple of unsavory characters standing on the other side of the fence, drinking. When they saw me one of them commented to the others to chase me down and take my bike and phone. There was a fence between us, so that kept them at bay. I wouldn't risk a pedal through their village because of the 1% chance of the same happening again.

[Acre]

17 minutes ago, mikkelz said:

Sheesh, that sucks! Glad you are ok. 🙏

Is riding through Cloetesville not an option? e.g. on Lang Rd.

I am thankful too that is wasn't worse. Knee swollen and soar today but it will heal.

I wouldn't cycle through Cloetesville at all, many dodgy characters hanging around and vicious looking dogs roaming the streets. We constantly hear gunfire in the evenings over the railway line so I think a lot of gang related issues and I think a cyclist will be a soft target for the bike and phone.

[nonky]

1 hour ago, Acre said:

Good day, this was me unfortunately. I have been aware that this is a problem area but have seen many cyclists use this stretch in recent months, many of these cycling alone. I am usually super alert and vigilant but they obviously got the better of me. The incident took place about 100meters past the speed camera in the direction going downhill into town. I was able to accelerate and get away. They obviously saw me coming, my speed was only 24km/h, as I past them, they pounced and caught me off-guard. This incident will not deter me from getting out there to cycle. I will just have to avoid this section. I stay at Tweespruit Estate so this route is the most convenient to get to Jonkershoek. I will just have to go the long way around via Kromme Rhee. 

All the millions of rands of charity channeled into kayamandi over the years via the cycling charity https://www.songo.info/, specialized africa, investec bank, thule, ninety-one, as well as fundraising efforts by local & international riders (sauser) and the champions race...and this is the situation in 2025.

I'm not surprised, just sad.

[cadenceblur]

1 hour ago, Robbie Stewart said:

I was riding back from Jonkershoek via the R44 once and when I passed Cloetesville, There was a couple of unsavory characters standing on the other side of the fence, drinking. When they saw me one of them commented to the others to chase me down and take my bike and phone. There was a fence between us, so that kept them at bay. I wouldn't risk a pedal through their village because of the 1% chance of the same happening again.

 

28 minutes ago, nonky said:

All the millions of rands of charity channeled into kayamandi over the years via the cycling charity https://www.songo.info/, specialized africa, investec bank, thule, ninety-one, as well as fundraising efforts by local & international riders (sauser) and the champions race...and this is the situation in 2025.

I'm not surprised, just sad.

The braziness is what gets me! Utterly despicable and sad that people cannot enjoy the most basic of freedoms - I won't even get to the absence of any law enforcement or the lack of political will to address the decay. 

My blood boils when I hear of incidents like this.

[Robbie Stewart]

4 minutes ago, cadenceblur said:

The braziness is what gets me! Utterly despicable and sad that people cannot enjoy the most basic of freedoms

I suppose its because these people know that the odds are in their favour, even if they get caught in the act. Prosecution in this country is a joke. Unless you say the wrong thing, then all hell will break loose to ensure you are sufficiently made an example of. But for the rest, its a free for all.

[cadenceblur]

3 minutes ago, Robbie Stewart said:

I suppose its because these people know that the odds are in their favour, even if they get caught in the act. Prosecution in this country is a joke. Unless you say the wrong thing, then all hell will break loose to ensure you are sufficiently made an example of. But for the rest, its a free for all.

indeed, that is true - sad - but true

[Stephan]

I am so fed up with this nonsense. I’ve said this before and will say it again. Time for vigilante style justice. Why must we suffer the trauma mentally and physically and they can get away with it every time? 

Edited May 6, 2025 by Stephan
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[Robbie Stewart]

11 hours ago, Stephan said:

I am so fed up with this nonsense. I’ve said this before and will say it again. Time for vigilante style justice. Why must we suffer the trauma mentally and physically and they can get away with it every time? 

By being a vigilante you are no better than they are. 

[DJR]

Jungle justice is a very deep, very dark hole for criminal, vigilante and innocent bystander alike and near impossible to get out of once you are in it.

[Wannabe]

So what do you guys suggest be done to remedy this situation? Honest question, not trolling.

SAPS clearly has no interest, private security companies previously patrolled the area, and even had a vehicle stationed close by, but that has now also fallen to the wayside. Probably due to cost.

 

 

[Links MTB]

My wife got bike-jacked about a year ago on Hellshoogte (I was just about 300m ahead oblivious of what's happening behind) and then late last year we were attacked on the Woodstock bridge!

Cellphones are a big drawing card, not only for a resale perspective, but also to get access to banking apps etc (as discussed in length on this thread) - this is a worldwide issue, and I don't think there's much we can do about that.

However, the theft of bicycles is a different story. The question that should be asked is what happens to all the stolen bikes?? If there was no market for stolen bikes, then cyclists would not have a target on their backs. The Police doesn't have the will or manpower, but what puzzles me is why hasn't the insurance companies, who are losing gazillions, not put a small investigative team together to look into this. All they need is 2/3 ex-detectives and I bet you they'll identify the players and loopholes in the black market quick-quick!   

[Prince Albert Cycles]

16 minutes ago, Links MTB said:

My wife got bike-jacked about a year ago on Hellshoogte (I was just about 300m ahead oblivious of what's happening behind) and then late last year we were attacked on the Woodstock bridge!

Cellphones are a big drawing card, not only for a resale perspective, but also to get access to banking apps etc (as discussed in length on this thread) - this is a worldwide issue, and I don't think there's much we can do about that.

However, the theft of bicycles is a different story. The question that should be asked is what happens to all the stolen bikes?? If there was no market for stolen bikes, then cyclists would not have a target on their backs. The Police doesn't have the will or manpower, but what puzzles me is why hasn't the insurance companies, who are losing gazillions, not put a small investigative team together to look into this. All they need is 2/3 ex-detectives and I bet you they'll identify the players and loopholes in the black market quick-quick!   

This !

[Acre]

2 hours ago, Wannabe said:

So what do you guys suggest be done to remedy this situation? Honest question, not trolling.

SAPS clearly has no interest, private security companies previously patrolled the area, and even had a vehicle stationed close by, but that has now also fallen to the wayside. Probably due to cost.

 

 

I went to the police station today to open a case after the Kayamandi incident I was involved in on Monday afternoon and because I couldn't identify the perps, they didn't want to open a case and only took my details down and will add it to their system as a complaint only. So yes, I agree,  the local SAPS clearly have no interest in the situation.  Feeling defeated as I type this sitting with my leg up not being able to work with my knee still pretty smashed up.

Edited May 7, 2025 by Acre

[cadenceblur]

16 minutes ago, Acre said:

I went to the police station today to open a case after the Kayamandi incident I was involved in on Monday afternoon and because I couldn't identify the perps, they didn't want to open a case and only took my details down and will add it to their system as a complaint only. So yes, I agree,  the local SAPS clearly have no interest in the situation.  Feeling defeated as I type this sitting with my leg up not being able to work with my knee still pretty smashed up.

WTAF! How about they do some bloody investigative work! Utterly pathetic.

I would go as far to say the calibre of police station probably correlates to the level of crime in said area. 

[Wannabe]

32 minutes ago, Acre said:

I went to the police station today to open a case after the Kayamandi incident I was involved in on Monday afternoon and because I couldn't identify the perps, they didn't want to open a case and only took my details down and will add it to their system as a complaint only. So yes, I agree,  the local SAPS clearly have no interest in the situation.  Feeling defeated as I type this sitting with my leg up not being able to work with my knee still pretty smashed up.

Go back and insist they open an Attempted Murder or at the least an Assault GBH case, as these perp's actions COULD have caused your death if you had to fall in the roadway and get flatten by a vehicle. Their actions could potentially have this result, intended or not. 

I would suggest this to all the latest, and heavens forbid, any future victims of these heartless and braindead scum. 

Should they refuse to do it, insist to speak to the most senior person on duty, but push to speak to the Station Commander (sorry, old term, not sure what he will be called now, but he is the Main Peanut in the packet there.)

 

Edited May 7, 2025 by Wannabe
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[DJR]

A few years back we had a problem with drug dealing in our street. We tried to lay a complaint and were told to write down car registration numbers and times of the dealings and supply it to the police. The neigbours compiled a list. I delivered it by hand to the local station commander. The VERY next day the suspicious dealings disappeared. NO police patrols, NO sting operation. The ONLY logic is that the info somehow made it to the drug dealers and they moved somewhere else.  I suppose I am saying not to put your trust or your hopes on the SAPS. Even though they DID solve our drug dealing problem. They are not going to solve the bikejacking problem.