From www.cyclingnews.com South African cyclists charged with murder The two South African cyclists
involved in the fatal shooting of a man whom they claim was attempting to steal their bikes will be
charged with murder, according to a report in the Beeld newspaper.
Thirty-year-old Scott Griffith and his brother Lloyd (31) spent Sunday night in the cells at
Honeydew police station north of Johanessburg after reporting the attack in which they claimed a
number of armed men attempted to steal their bikes. In the ensuing shoot-out one of the attackers
was wounded and later died in hospital; the others ran away.
According to Brian Price of the Johannesburg Mountain Bike Club, this was the fifth attack in eight
days on riders in the area. He and three other riders had been robbed in the same place the
previous day.
The Griffith brothers incident was not even the first fatal confrontation between cyclists and
would-be bike thieves. On May 25 another mountain bike rider, Danie van Niekerk, was shot in the
hand and leg. Van Niekerk returned fire and killed one of the thieves, but was not arrested over
the incident.
Scott Griffith's wife, Wilma said on Monday night, "It happens so often that all bike riders carry
knives and guns."
The Griffiths' case has been postponed to September 26 pending further investigation.