MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Mossel Bay residents are shocked by the deaths of two motorcyclists in two accidents in the space of eight days in town.
Hencor Combrink (34), branch manager of SSK Agriland in Voorbaai, died in George Street in the town centre on Wednesday, 12 January, and Daniel James de Jager (25), an apprentice at AST Motorcycles, in a crash in Bolton Street, Voorbaai, on 19 January.
It appears Combrink might have lost control of his motorcycle in George Street. In the Bolton Street accident a minibus taxi was involved as well as the motorcycle.
Frank Linde, an employee at AST Motorcycles in Voorbaai, said a petition was being drawn up to lobby for speed bumps to slow down the traffic in Bolton Street. "The vehicles really go too fast," he said.
The Mossel Bay Advertiser contacted the chairman of the South Western Districts Motorcycle Association for comment. This is the group name for the council of motorcycle clubs in the area. It includes all the clubs in the area from Plettenberg Bay to Swellendam, including Witsand and through to Oudtshoorn inland and to Beaufort West in the north.
Chairman Johann van Tonder said: "Every six weeks the presidents and vice presidents of the clubs meet to discuss incidents, accidents, giving to charities and dates for rallies and events.
"Last year 17 bikers died in our area, not only in accidents, but owing to Covid-19 and other causes."
'More awareness'
Regarding accidents, Van Tonder said: "We really want to look at ways and means to have more awareness of bikers in traffic.
"In the first 20 days of this year we lost four motorcyclists - two in Mossel Bay and two in George."
Van Tonder pointed out that motorcycle accidents happened to people of all ages. He pointed out the ages of the two Mossel Bay fatalities and also noted that one fatal victim in George was a senior citizen and the other a 21 year old coming from work, who was hit by a bakkie.
"No matter your age, if you are on a motorcycle, you are exposed. If you are in an accident, you come off the worst," Van Tonder said.
He said that on Saturday, 22 January, members of the motorbike clubs came together and "had a blessing from the Christian Motorcyclist Association's Pastor Paul Williams".
Van Tonder stressed that the accidents were "definitely something that worries us tremendously".
He reiterated that the bikers were planning biker awareness activities. "These were not accidents where bikers had come from a pub. They were normal circumstances in traffic."
George-based Van Tonder is also president of Coded MCC (Motorcycle Club).
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