From the PPA Website: PLEASE TAKE CAUTION!!!

More muggings near Rhodes Mem

Two muggings on cyclists were reported near Rhodes Memorial within the last 10 days. Both incidents occurred late afternoon; the one at 18h00 and the other at 18h45.

In the first incident, the cyclist was riding from Cape Town to Rhodes Memorial. Near the point where the road splits between the road up to Plum Pudding and the contour road that runs above Woodstock, he was approached by a mugger who was hiding in the bushes, and who jumped into the path about 5 to 10 m in front of the cyclist.

No other walkers, runners or cyclists were around at the time.

The assailant was a black male in his mid-twenties, wearing long pants (either jeans or a track suit) and a black and white ski jacket.

“He came at me with a broken bottle neck and said he wanted my back pack,” the cyclist reported. “When I refused to hand it over, we began to wrestle and he dropped his weapon. After a bit of wrestling we stood facing each other and I offered to give him some money. He agreed. When I took out my wallet and gave him R100 he saw I had more cash and demanded that I give him the rest as well. When I refused he went for my wallet. We wrestled again and my wallet fell on the ground. He picked it up and tried to run away with it. I tackled him and we wrestled some more at which point he dropped the wallet and I managed to push him down the side of the mountain. He began to run away and I then pelted him with 2 rocks.”

The incident was reported to both the Police and the Parks Board

In a second incident late last week, a cyclist was relieved of his bag and all its contents on his way from Rhodes Memorial to town, around 18h00.

“A male in shiny blue tracksuit pants and a black windbreaker jumped into the road and ran at me,” the cyclist said.

“I couldn't turn around so I just floored it and went into him with my shoulder, but as I was about to hit him, he revealed a large shiny knife. I ended up on the floor and he didn't, unfortunately. He was pretty strong and threatening with that knife of his, and asked me where my phone and wallet were, but then just took my whole bag, threatening to stab me again before he headed off into the bush near that concrete causeway just after Plum Pudding Hill.

“I'm a bit roastied up and minus a few possessions but still have my bike. Three guys helped me out and the mountain men met me and headed up the mountain to look for the assailant. He was not South African, pretty dark of complexion and spoke good English.

“I've been riding on the mountain for 10 years, lots on my own and this is my first incident, so it's not too alarming, but this is just a note to give the heads up to others.”

Where possible, cyclists are cautioned to ride in small groups.