While the Transport Department has highlighted excessive speeding by motorcyclists as being one of the main causes of Sunday’s horror crash which claimed the lives of seven people, including two bikers, Durban’s Revolution Motorcycle Club is mourning the death of two of its “experienced” riders.
The two bikers involved in the accident have been identified as Petrus Hendrik Viljoen, 40, and John Clive Julius, 39.
They were on their way to the club’s breakfast run in Ballito.
Revolution Motorcycle Club president Clive Pillay, who was acting as a spokesman for the deceased men’s families, said that the men were experienced riders.
“They were committed riders and had been riding for a long time,” Pillay said.
Members of the club followed a policy to ride in an orderly fashion and within a group, he said.
“They were probably towards the back of the group as a few members of the club reached the scene shortly after the accident had happened,” Pillay said.
Viljoen had been riding a 1300 Suzuki superbike and Julius had been riding a Yamaha 1000 superbike.
Julius leaves a wife, Veronica and a three year-old son, Jamie, while Viljoen leaves his wife, Petro, who was too distraught to speak to the media.
On Saturday, more than 100 motorcyclists are expected to ride in a convoy from the Peniel church in Merebank.
The funeral service for the men will take place from 9am until 11am, and thereafter proceed to the Clare Estate Crematorium for cremation.
The head-on collision took place on the M4 near eMdloti on Sunday morning.
Among those killed were family members, Harry Naicker, 66, his daughter, Veni Roopnarain, 42, his grandchildren, Ashlin, 22, and Criselda, 19, and Jodash Naicker, 4.
The family funeral is expected to take place at the Bethsaida International Ministries church in Clayfield, Phoenix, tomorrow.
KZN Transport spokesman Kwanele Ncalane said that investigations into the accident were still taking place and the fact that the car and one of the motorcycles were burnt complicated the investigation. - The Mercury