Metro police tried to stop cyclists who converged at Durban’s King’s Park pool on Tuesday from embarking on a ”protest ride” that police said was illegal.
The protest action by Cyclesafe comes after retired dentist Willem van Heerden was killed in a hit-and-run accident last week, while another four cyclists were injured in a similar incident days later.
The organisation’s Lyndon Kelly said Cyclesafe wants the government to create a safer environment for all in the cycle community.
Kelly said the protest ride was to end at the Durban City Hall, where a memorandum detailing the cyclists’ concerns would be handed to the municipality.
The Daily News reported that city authorities had denied cyclists the right to stage the protest ride as cyclists gathered for it on Tuesday morning.
In a letter sent to Cyclesafe KwaZulu-Natal, the municipality’s health, safety and social services cluster advised the cyclists that should the protest ride go ahead, it would be deemed illegal because the city had not been given the required seven-day notice.
Newly appointed metro police spokesperson Superintendent Joyce Khuzwayo was not available for comment.
A police officer at metro police radio control confirmed that attempts had been made to stop the cyclists from proceeding with their protest ride.
”We barricaded certain parts near Kings Park pool but some of them managed to go through,” the police officer said. — Sapa