Pedal Power Association demands answers
The death of Cape Town cyclist Landon le Grange, 61, has intensified calls for tougher penalties against reckless drivers, with cycling groups warning of a worsening road safety crisis. Le Grange died on Tuesday in hospital from severe injuries after being hit by a taxi.
For the Pedal Power Association, the incident was tragic but foreseeable. “While this incident has shocked the Cape Town community, it is not an isolated tragedy,” the association said. “It reflects a national pattern of predictable, preventable harm driven by dangerous driving behaviour, inadequate infrastructure, and weak enforcement.”
Riders regularly navigate close passes, speeding motorists, and roads with narrow or crumbling shoulders. The association pointed to the Western Cape’s one-metre passing rule as an example of legislation with no bite. Although the law requires drivers to give cyclists at least a metre of space, it has yet to see a single successful prosecution. “The one‑metre law exists on paper, but without a single prosecution, it offers no real protection,” the association said. The group lists five recurring causes: unsafe overtaking, high speed, distracted driving, failing to yield, and driving under the influence. Speed tops the list. Data shows survival odds for a cyclist drop below 50 percent once impact speeds exceed 45 km/h.
In response, the association wants authorities to lower speed limits where cars and bicycles share space, enforce traffic laws consistently, and prosecute offenders instead of issuing warnings. It’s also pushing for quick engineering upgrades: wider road shoulders, clearer signage, and temporary cycle lanes while long-term solutions are built. The group cautioned that not every bike lane improves safety. Only continuous, barrier-protected routes genuinely reduce risk, yet those are still missing from most high-traffic cycling corridors in the province.
“Cyclists are vulnerable road users and should be respected as such whilst cycling responsibly,” it said. The association said the death on Victoria Road is a deeply sad incident, but it is also an expected result of a national system that does not adequately safeguard people who are most at risk on the roads,“South Africans will continue to pay the price for a car‑centric environment that prioritises the accommodation of motor vehicles, and where driver behaviour prioritises speed over safety and the basic principles of considerate, responsible driving.” said the association. The matter is still ongoing and many cyclists demand action to be taken.
