Durban - Two more cyclists were mowed down by a car driven by an allegedly drunk motorist on the M4 near eMdloti on Sunday.
After Sunday's incident, and the shock deaths of cyclists Richard da Silva and Jarred Dwyer on the M4 in Durban North in February, the latest victims’ wives and those of other cyclists have pleaded with those who cycle on the highway to stop doing so until the roads are safer for the cycling community.
The motorist on Sunday, a 33-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and was expected to appear in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
The latest two cycling victims, businessman Kesival Paidya and car dealership general manager, Ricky Govender, were treated by paramedics and hospitalised, with Paidya hurt seriously and transferred to the ICU at Mount Edgecombe Hospital.
The two cyclists had been cycling with a group of about 50 from Suncoast to Ballito and were involved in the collision on their way back to Durban near eMdloti on the M4 highway southbound.
Family spokesman, Dinesh Narayan, who was called to the scene by a shaken Govender, said the two were training for the upcoming Amashova race (from Pietermaritzburg to Durban) when they were allegedly hit by the motorist driving a white Toyota Yaris with four female occupants.
Narayan, also a cyclist, said he would have been with the group but had to attend a meeting on Sunday morning.
“Kesival is in a very serious state, he has been moved to ICU and we are still waiting anxiously for CT scans to be conducted,” he said.
“Everyone is quite upset and shaken by what has happened, the entire family is here and we hope he will recover speedily,” he said.
Narayan said both cyclists lived in Durban North and said their wives were too distraught to speak to the media on Sunday.
“We are aware of the accidents that happened before, but this one hits closer to home for us. Our wives have asked all of us to stop cycling because of the anxiousness and the related dangers,” he said.
On Monday morning, he said both cyclists were in a stable condition, with Kesival still in ICU, but in a stable condition.
Narayan said receiving the call from Govender was “quite traumatic”.
“We were told that the motorist tried to run away but he hit a kerb and his front wheel came off 200m away from where the accident happened,” he said.
Narayan said the family was grateful for the support from witnesses and fellow cyclists who helped the two victims.
The suspect faces charges of reckless and negligent driving and driving under the influence of alcohol.
Police spokeswoman, Captain Nqobile Gwala, said the crash occurred at about 8.20am on Sunday and said a 33-year-old man had been arrested.
“It is alleged that two cyclist were knocked by the suspect on the M4 southbound before the eMdloti off-ramp at about 8.20,” she said.
Greg Albert, owner of Cyclesphere and also a cyclist, who had been part of the group on Sunday, said it was shocking how unsafe the M4 was becoming for cyclists.
“I was at the last scene when Richard da Silva and Jarred Dwyer who died a few months back also on the M4. It is just shocking how often it’s happening. Cyclists will also come off second best because we have no metal protecting us,” he said.
He pleaded for motorists to be more alert.
“We need motorist to be more aware of cyclists. We always come off second best,” he said.
* Two people were killed in separate accidents in Pinetown and Hillcrest early on Sunday.
ER24 spokeswoman, Chitra Bodasing-Harduth, said a 25-year-old man was killed when he was ejected from his car as it rolled on the M13 near Hillcrest.
“It is understood that the vehicle hit an embankment and rolled, landing on the road on its side,” she said.
In another accident in Caversham Road, Pinetown, paramedics found a 35-year-old man had died when he was trapped in his vehicle after it had rolled.
@SihleSays