The Khaltsha Cycles community is remembering 16-year-old Lilitha Lombo not for the way she was lost, but for the girl who came into their centre with her twin sister, rode with purpose and was growing into herself.

“We do not want her to be remembered only because of the circumstances in which we lost her,” the club said. “We want people to remember the young person she was and the possibility she represented.”

Finding her place

Lilitha was one of Khaltsha’s young champions – a twin, a daughter, a sister and a young person with a future that was only beginning to unfold. She was still finding her place within the academy, still growing as a cyclist and still discovering what was possible for her.

Lilitha and her twin sister, Linomtha, joined Khaltsha in 2025 after seeing Cohort One graduate Ngacali Simelela, who had come through the programme, race in the Tour de France. “They saw someone who had come through Khaltsha doing something extraordinary, and it made them believe that perhaps they could also find their own path through cycling,” the club said.

Her aspirations were still developing, as they are for many of the academy’s young champions. She was training, improving and discovering what cycling could mean for her. “What mattered to us was that she had begun to see possibilities for herself through cycling,” the club said. “She was part of a team and was being given the opportunity to grow, both as a cyclist and as a young person.”

Training tragedy

Lilitha was training with the Khaltsha Academy team in Somerset West on Tuesday 29 September, near the circle of Steynsrust Dam around 16:00, when she was involved in the accident.

ALSO READ: “Training session turns tragic: Cyclist (16) killed in Somerset West,” 1 October.

According to an official statement, the vehicle was an e-hailing vehicle and the young cyclists who were riding with her witnessed the crash.

The driver was allegedly asked to stop the vehicle after the incident, but did not stop immediately. The vehicle later halted to allow passengers to exit, after which the passengers returned to the scene and assisted.

A passenger who was travelling in the vehicle has since contacted Khaltsha and provided information about what she witnessed. She agreed to provide a formal statement to police and is cooperating with the investigation.

In addition, Khaltsha has provided police with the information from the passenger, the e-hailing trip record identifying the vehicle and driver, including vehicle registration details, and video footage.

Somerset West police are investigating a case of culpable homicide. “We welcome the fact that the matter has been formally registered and that [the police] is investigating it,” the club said. “We want a thorough and impartial investigation in which all available evidence and witness accounts are properly considered. We are cooperating fully with [the police], but we will continue to follow up because Lilitha’s family and our community deserve answers and justice.”

Community grieves

The club has closed the academy and bike shop for the remainder of this week and placed its holiday programme on hold. The youths who had been cycling with Lilitha are grieving the loss of a teammate and friend while trying to process a traumatic event that happened during an activity they love. Coaches and staff are deeply affected as well.

“At Khaltsha, our relationship with the young people extends beyond cycling,” the club said. “We watch them grow, support them through challenges and become part of their lives.

“Our first responsibility is to stand alongside the Lombo family. We are supporting the family as a community and are doing what we can to ensure they do not have to navigate this devastating period alone. We are also giving the family the space and privacy they need to grieve.”

A verified crowdfunding campaign has been started to assist the family with all costs. “The immediate need is to support the Lombo family with the costs associated with laying Lilitha to rest,” the club said. “We encourage those who are able to contribute to the family’s verified crowdfunding campaign to do so. We also ask the community to support the family with messages of comfort, care and solidarity while respecting their privacy.”

Seeking accountability

The club further called for the perpetrator to brought to book. “The person responsible should cooperate fully with the authorities and the full circumstances of what happened must be established,” it said.

“We are asking for accountability through the proper legal process. We are not asking for justice outside the law. We are asking that the evidence be properly investigated and that the appropriate legal process follows.”

The tragedy comes just two days after two other cyclists were killed on the R102, intensifying concerns about the safety of cyclists on roads. “For young cyclists, the road is both a place of opportunity and a place where they are vulnerable,” the club said. “Our young people ride because they love cycling and because cycling creates opportunities for them. They should be able to participate in the sport and return home safely.

“The loss of cyclists in such a short period should make all of us take road safety seriously. Motorists need to understand that cyclists are legitimate road users and that their actions can have life-changing consequences.”

The club also called for shared responsibility: “Authorities need to ensure that road infrastructure, traffic management and enforcement adequately protect vulnerable road users. Motorists need to recognise that cyclists have a right to use the road; that safe speeds, patience, awareness and safe passing can make the difference between someone arriving home safely and a family receiving devastating news.

“Cyclists and cycling organisations also have a responsibility to promote safe riding and educate young riders. Ultimately, we need a culture in which getting somewhere a few minutes faster is never treated as more important than another person’s life.”

The club has welcomed constructive engagement with the relevant authorities about the safety of cycling routes in Somerset West and other areas where young people train. “We do not want to make claims about previous formal complaints or representations unless they can be properly verified,” the club said.

“What we can say is that routes regularly used by cyclists, particularly young riders training in groups, require motorists to exercise care and awareness.

Carrying forward

“Khaltsha exists because we believe young people deserve opportunities to dream, develop themselves and see what they are capable of – Lilitha was part of that. We cannot allow the circumstances of her death to become the only story people remember about her. She was a daughter, a twin, a sister, a friend and one of our champions. She had dreams. She had a place in this team. She mattered to us. We will continue the work, but we will do so carrying her memory with us.

“We want Lilitha to be remembered for who she was, for the dreams she carried and for the life she was building – not only for the way her life was tragically cut short. Her time with us was far too short, but it mattered. We will remember her, and we will carry her with us.”