Helshoogte Pass knife hell for 5
POLICE have arrested a 32-year-old suspect after he and his accomplice allegedly attacked a group of five cyclists on the old Helshoogte Pass near Stellenbosch.
The cyclists sustained minor injuries after the suspects, armed with a knife and sticks, charged at them on Sunday morning.
“This office can confirm that a 32-year-old man was arrested shortly after he and his accomplice attacked a group of five cyclists training on the old Helshoogte Pass in an attempt to rob them of their bicycles.
“Police reacted swiftly and arrested one of the suspects on a charge of robbery. He is due to appear in court tomorrow (today) in Stellenbosch. The cyclists sustained minor injuries,” police spokesperson Andre Traut said yesterday.
Dr Johan Louw, who was among the five riders, described their ordeal. “We were riding from Durbanville to Franschhoek. When we got to Stellenbosch, we decided to take the old Helshoogte Pass… We were a big enough group and you do not expect that somebody would attack you.
“We went around quite a sharp bend and the next moment two guys armed with knives attacked us. They started going at us with their knives. I was riding at the back and the others managed to get away,” he said.
“I couldn’t turn around. The two guys came at me. One had a knife and the other had a stick and rocks. I tried to swerve and get away from him and I fell. I got up and the guy with a knife came at me and I just kinda held the bike between me and him.
“He was very aggressive. I told him to just take the bike and leave us alone. He said he wanted my cellphone and password… My one friend came to my defence. He pushed the guy away with the bike.”
The assailant allegedly threw rocks at his friend who was trying to fend off the knife-wielding suspect with his bike.
“We could not ride away. Luckily the lady rode ahead and managed to hide and phoned the police. The police were very impressive,” he said.
‘He was very aggressive. I told him to just take the bike and leave us’