Cyclist attacked near Rhodes Memorial

A CITY cyclist has become the latest mountain crime victim after he was pulled off his bicycle near Rhodes Memorial, choked and robbed.

The incident was the first in the area in about four months and Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) says it will increase its focus there.

Yesterday Graham Redelinghuys, 39, of Silvertown in Athlone, said he had been cycling down from the King’s Block House on Monday afternoon when he was attacked.

“Two guys jumped me and held me down. They searched me and took my bicycle and cellphone,” he said. “They choked me.” Redelinghuys had been shaken, but had not needed medical attention.

He said he had not seen the two robbers in advance so he was not able to have avoided the attack.

Redelinghuys regularly cycled near Rhodes Memorial, often three times a week, and said it was the first time he had been targeted by criminals there.

Despite the incident, Redelinghuys planned to cycle in the area again.

“I’m just disappointed my bike was taken,” he said.

He warned others to be aware of their surroundings and look out for suspicious looking people so that they could try and avoid becoming crime victims.

Police spokesman November Filander said the two suspects had been neatly dressed and were aged about 25 to 27. No arrests were made. Yesterday Redelinghuys, together with a police officer and TMNP’s visitor safety head, returned to the scene of his attack.

“They’ll look for clues,” regional SANParks spokeswoman Merle Collins said.

She said as a result of the incident, more focus would be placed on Rhodes Memorial.

Collins said the attack had been the first in a while.

According to the Twitter account @tablemntnwatch, which tracks crime on the mountain, the last mugging near the Block House had been a failed attempt in September.

Three months ago, the Cape Times had reported that the number of attacks on the Table Mountain chain and related areas had dropped by at least a half last year compared with the same period the previous year.

And on Table Mountain itself, there had been virtually no incidents in a year.