A cyclist was assaulted and robbed on Slangkop Road in Ocean View on Saturday.
Craig Farham says a man pistol-whipped him in the face and took his camel pack and iPhone shortly after he got separated from his fellow cyclists, at about 8.10am, during a
club ride from Scarborough to Kommetjie.
Mr Farham said that after turning down Slangkop Road he had seen a man run towards him with a gun drawn.
“He unclasped my camel pack to pull it off my shoulder, and I hesitated for a moment, and that is when he hit me in the face with the back of the gun,” Mr Farham said.
At that moment, a car pulled up behind him and the man ran
away.
The car then escorted him to the police station where he was helped by Kommwatch (Kommetjie neighbourhod watch).
Kommwatch chairperson Megan Yates said they had alerted armed-response officers patrolling Kommetjie.
Mr Farham said his eye had been hurt in the attack but there was no permanent damage.
“I was wearing cycling glasses and although I got a small cut on my nose from the glasses, it protected my eye,” he said.
Two other cyclists were attacked earlier this month: a Somerset West man was stabbed in the head while cycling to work, and a picture of the knife stuck in his skull went viral.
And a professional cyclist out cycling with her husband was attacked on the same stretch of road between Gordon’s Bay and Strand. She sustained fractures to her hip, pelvis and coccyx.
Ms Yates encouraged cyclists to be vigilant and to cycle in large groups.
Pedal Power Association (PPA) CEO, Robert Vogel said attacks on cyclists were on the increase and the PPA was constantly pressing the authorities to take action.
“Our advice to cyclists is to cycle in groups and should you fall behind for whatever reason ensure that someone stays behind with you, in order to avoid becoming an easy target,” he said.
Ocean View police spokesman Sergeant Leon Fortuin confirmed the incident and urged members of the public to contact Ocean View SAPS on 021 783 8300 or crime stop on 08600 10111.
No arrests have been made.
