Page 42 - July 2025 Edition.cdr

LHR MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE 41 NEWS

Tragedy on Two Wheels: The Final Ride of a

Sixty60 Delivery Biker on Voortrekker Road

By: LHR Motorcycle Magazine | June 2025
It was just after midday on a crisp Cape Town winter Monday—another busy afternoon on Voortrekker Road in
Bellville. The road, long known for its chaotic traffic, was teeming with delivery bikes darting between lanes,
minibus taxis jostling for position, and pedestrians trying to cross between signal changes. Then, in a flash of noise,
metal, and heartbreak, everything changed.
A Checkers Sixty60 delivery biker was struck and fatally injured by a SAPS double-cab bakkie, bringing one life to
an abrupt and tragic end.
Despite swift response from emergency services, the rider was declared dead at the scene. Witnesses say the impact
was so severe that the motorcycle was crushed beneath the front axle of the police vehicle. The rider never stood a
chance.
This was no freak accident. It's the third known fatality involving a Sixty60 delivery rider in just six months—a

yet—was the rider overtaking in blind just another empty slot in the app.
traffic? Was the SAPS vehicle
responding to an emergency? Did Under the Helmet: Life
either party fail to yield or obey a as a Sixty60 Rider
signal?
From the outside, it might seem like a
What is clear is this: a delivery was
never completed. And a family is simple job: pick up, drop off, repeat.
But speak to any delivery rider and
grieving.
they'll tell you it's much more
The Growing Toll of the complicated—and often much more
dangerous.
Gig Economy
“I'm riding six to eight hours a day.
The tragic collision is the latest in a That's over 100km in traffic,” says
troubling series of incidents Khaya Dlamini, who works the
involving Checkers Sixty60 riders. northern suburbs. “You've got to
In January, a rider died in a head-on watch for taxis, potholes, people
crash in Camps Bay. In May, another opening doors, traffic lights that don't
rider was killed by a drunk driver in work. And all the time, the clock is
Bela Bela. And those are only the ones ticking. One-hour delivery or you lose
A Life Lost at Speed that made headlines. the bonus.”

Few details have been officially Riders and industry insiders say the Despite efforts by Checkers to
released about the victim. His name unreported toll is much higher. improve safety—providing helmets,
has not been made public, but for “Every week, we hear about another jackets, and defensive driving
many in the riding community, it crash,” says David Nieuwoudt, a training—riders say it's not enough.
doesn't matter. They see themselves in technician who services scooters for “It's not the gear. It's the pressure,”
him—a rider trying to earn a living, gig riders. “It's not always fatal, but says Khaya. “We're rushing. All the
doing what he had to in a city that the injuries are bad. Broken legs, time. You're tired, hungry, dodging
rarely makes room for two wheels.
arms, spinal injuries. These guys are cars, and still trying to hit the next
“There's a moment when you're taking all the risk with very little order before your time runs out.”
weaving through traffic, and you protection.” Checkers contracts riders through
realise how invisible you are,” says Behind the promise of one-hour Pingo, a delivery services platform
Sizwe Mthembu, a fellow Sixty60 grocery deliveries is a deeply unequal within the Shoprite Group. Riders can
rider based in the southern suburbs. system. Most Sixty60 riders are rent-to-own bikes, but they're
“People see the bike, but not the independent contractors, not responsible for maintenance,
human. You're just another blur on the employees. They get paid per licensing, and often insurance. The
road. Until something happens.”
delivery, and are responsible for their fl e x i b i l i t y a p p e a l s t o m a n y
The accident on Voortrekker Road is own bikes, fuel, and insurance. If they unemployed youth—but it comes
under investigation by SAPS. No crash, they pay. If they're injured, they with a steep risk.
clear cause has been established lose income. If they die—well, that's