A fourth cyclist died in hospital after a bakkie drove into a group of cyclists near Oudtshoorn on Monday, a spokesperson said.
Xenophone Wentzel, spokesperson for the Western Cape provincial traffic department said the fourth victim died in hospital on Monday afternoon.
“Provincial traffic officers informed me about the death just after 14:00,” he said.
Two men and a woman died on the scene when a bakkie drove into the group of 11 cyclists just after 06:00 on the R62 between Oudtshoorn and Calitzdorp. The group was practising for the Argus cycle race.
Police spokesperson Bernadine Steyn said the bakkie attempted to overtake a truck, which had been travelling from Calitzdorp to Oudtshoorn when the 62-year-old driver drove into the group. The accident happened about 9km outside Oudtshoorn.
Two men, Frank Nel, 60, and Jan Elloff, 73, and one woman, Magda van Lill, 50, were killed on the scene.
Only one other cyclist was seriously injured and taken to a local hospital in Oudtshoorn.
“He died of his injuries,” said Wentzel. His name has not been released. The driver of the bakkie was treated for shock before being discharged from hospital.
Steyn said cases of culpable homicide were being investigated but no one had been arrested.
– SAPA