Cape Town – A 60-year-old cyclist had a narrow escape when a knife-wielding assailant assaulted and stabbed him before making off with his bike above Rugby Road on Table Mountain yesterday morning.
The cyclist, Bernard Berman, was rushed to hospital.
The latest incident has resulted in mountain bikers using the Table Mountain area, together with residents in the surrounding area, scouring hot spots in the mountain.
Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said a case of robbery was being investigated by Cape Town central police.
“Police are investigating a robbery case following an incident that occurred this morning where a 60-year-old man was stabbed, assaulted and robbed by an unidentified suspect on Table Mountain.
“The suspect fled the scene with the victim’s mountain bicycle. The victim was transported to a medical facility for treatment,” Rwexana said.
The Table Mountain Bikers group spokesperson, Melanie Vogel, said its members felt “absolutely violated”.
The group posted on Facebook: “One of our members was attacked, stabbed and robbed of his mountain bike on Table Mountain at about 7.45am (yesterday). The suspect stole his black Canyon (brand) full-suspension mountain bike.
“The suspect was wearing an orange backpack and was spotted heading down Molteno Road into the CBD. He will most likely try to sell the bicycle in the city centre,” the post read.
Vogel said residents in the area were placed on alert immediately after the incident and the suspect was then spotted riding the bicycle via CCTV camera near a convenience store in Kloof Road.
“We feel absolutely violated because this incident happened right in our backyards. We are aware of incidents that occurred in the South Peninsula and Tokai but this hit so much closer to home. We have had bag grabs before but never such a violent attack,” Vogel said.
She said the incident would not deter mountain users and residents to stay away.
“We consider this as a haven for people who want to get away from the stresses of life and just unwind. The incident was really unfortunate.”
The Table Mountain Bikers group said bicycles stolen previously were offered for sale in the Greenmarket Square area.
“His attacker not only stole his bike but also violated the safety of a space many of us enjoy on foot, running or cycling.
“We would like to scour the crime hot spot to see how many people are living in the area. We need a large group of volunteers to comb the area,” Vogel said.
Residents and volunteers will meet at the top of Molteno Road at 6pm today.
Anyone with information can anonymously call Crime Stop at 0860 010111 or SMS Crime at 32211.