PORT ELIZABETH - PERMANANT PATROLS LAUNCHED AFTER TROLLIP'S CYCLING PARTNER ATTACKED IN VICTORIA DRIVE VICINITY

Another Port Elizabeth cyclist has become the latest victim of criminal's targeting people on Victoria Drive.

Nelson Mandela Bay executive mayor, Atholl Trollip, said he was out cycling on Friday morning with his partner, Brian Spilkin, in the Schoenmakerskop area when he saw four young men walking towards Walmer Township.

He said when his suspicious about them were aroused, his partner who was about 100 metres behind him started screaming.

"I turned around and saw one of the four people that were walking together chasing after him with a knife in his hands. He lunged three or four times at my partner who cycled like never before to get away from this guy."

He said that it occurred to him that these guys seemed as if they had already been up to no good earlier on before attacking Spilkin.

"They've obviously had been up to no good at 5 o clock in the morning and they were prepared to stab somebody right at the entrance to the Walmer Townships where everybody was going to work and commuting," he said.

This is at least the fourth known attack on cyclists in the Victoria Drive area.

Two international athletes taking part in Ironman were also victims of young criminals.

Trollip said he had been in contact with the Metro's head of Safety and Security, John Best.

"The South African Police Service and our Metro Police are now going to put up permanent patrols there in the morning."

Trollip said they will start patrolling from 5am as of Saturday.

"I think it is a small group of people that are responsible for preying on cyclists and we have to get rid of this bad element," he said.

"We are going to spare no resources to make sure that this city is safe on cycle routes, on walking routes and wherever people live. We can't have a small group of people holding the city to ransom, especially on our sporting routes because we market ourselves as a sport tourism destination and I am determined to do everything physically possible to catch these people," Trollip concluded.

VIA - algoafm