The suspect accused of fatally striking a cyclist with his BMW in Camps Bay has been released on R15,000 bail.
27-year-old Bongani Mthethwa, who appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, is facing charges of culpable homicide after colliding with 41-year-old cyclist Idries Sheriff on Victoria Drive near Glen Beach, at around 07:00 on Tuesday morning.
Several eyewitnesses on the scene allege that Mthethwa was drunk behind the wheel and was racing up Victoria Drive from the direction of Clifton.
Sheriff was reportedly struck head-on as Mthethwa lost control of the vehicle and swerved across the oncoming lane and onto the pavement.
Before the fatal collision, another eyewitness, who spoke to Smile FM, said he and a group of cyclists were travelling through Camps Bay at around 05:45 on the fateful morning.
At the time, they noticed two vehicles, a blue BMW and a white BMW 3 Series, parked near the Pick n Pay, facing in the direction of Hout Bay.
He says there was a group of about seven people in the vicinity who appeared to be highly intoxicated and were loud and disruptive, clearly having continued partying from the previous night.
“Members of our group commented that they were drunk and should not be driving in that condition.”
The eyewitness says on their return from Noordhoek, they came across the horrific accident scene and observed that the same blue BMW was involved.
The white BMW was parked on the side of the road a few metres ahead, facing towards Sea Point. The driver appeared to be asleep behind the steering wheel, with three Metro Police officers attending to the vehicle.
He says the driver of the blue BMW, later identified as Bongani Mthetwa, was standing at the scene with a blanket around him. He was arrested shortly after.
A large group of cyclists staged a ride-in to the courthouse ahead of Mthethwa’s appearance to demand that he should not be released on bail. Premier Alan Winde supported that call.
While the cycling community has expressed disappointment that the suspect received bail, they have appealed that he be prosecuted within the full extent of the law, to ensure the repercussions of this kind of vehicular manslaughter are taken seriously.
In a petition, the cycling community also called on the City of Cape Town and its law enforcement agencies to tighten speeding regulations and ensure adequate roadblocks and checks for blood alcohol levels, especially in high cyclist traffic areas such as the Atlantic Seaboard.
The Pedal Power Association has also appointed an attorney to observe proceedings in the case, which has been remanded to 22 April 2026 for further investigation.
