Stronger laws need to be implemented to protect cyclists - Pedal Power Association

CAPE TOWN - The cycling community has expressed anger over the sentence handed to Garth Pasha, who struck triathlete Dewald van der Westhuizen in a hit and run in 2023.

The incident occurred on Glencairn Main Road, near Fish Hoek.  

Pasha, a member of the South African Navy, faced charges of attempted murder, reckless and negligent driving, and driving under the influence.

He was handed a R13,000 fine and a suspended jail sentence. 

CEO of the Pedal Power Association, Neil Robinson, says many cyclists are questioning why the laws that are meant to protect them, are not being observed

“We actually have a one meter pass law in the Western Cape, in other words, a car, any motorised transport passing a cyclist on a road has to provide one meter distance between the car, the vehicle and the cyclist so you know clearly if someone’s hit the way he was hit will run so why have the law in the first place, that’s a lot of the cyclists points” 

Robinson says stronger laws need to be implemented to protect cyclists 

"South Africa is lawless, we talk on our cell phones without hands free, we do 61 in a 60 zone, when this kind of thing happens, you would think it's obvious that there are going to be proper punishments handed out for something like this, clearly he wasn’t passing, giving the rider a one meter space and I mean this is basic 101 physics so I'm not sure as to how we move forward with this”