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As thousands of riders participated in the scenic Cape Town Cycle Tour on Sunday 10 March, one of its founding members Louis de Waal died peacefully at the age of 87.
Dubbed one of the “Magnificent 7” for being one of the original Cape Town Cycle Tour riders in 1978, the long-time Marina da Gama resident competed in 42 of the 46 rides.
Last week, tributes poured into a “true legend” whose legacy will “never be forgotten”.
In a statement, the Pedal Power Association (PPA) thanked De Waal for his years of dedication to improving cycling infrastructure and safety for cyclists.
“Uncle Louis, as he was fondly known to everyone in the cycling fraternity, sadly passed away on Cape Town Cycle Tour day.
“He gave many hours of his time to public involvement and loved sport.”
De Waal was president of the False Bay Rugby Club, a rugby referee as well as the captain of the WP Cricket Club for 23 years.
“As a recreational cyclist, he served on the executive board of the Pedal Power Association for many years and became an honorary member in 1986.
An engineer by trade, De Waal attended international conferences on improving facilities for cyclists in urban areas.
“Louis was persistently ‘nagging’ about the 1,5 m passing distance for decades resulting in a one-metre passing law being approved in the Western Cape in 2013.
“We wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.”
On social media, those whose lives he impacted remembered De Waal as someone who touched many lives.
Kevin Musikanth wrote: “Sad to see the passing of a true rugby legend Uncle Louis De Waal, a real icon in the rugby scene in Cape Town and someone who touched many people’s lives with his kindness and support. “Louis impacted my life during my seven years at the False Bay Rugby Club, and in a world where it was so easy not to believe in possibilities and criticise. He was always positive, showed belief in me and had a huge impact on my coaching at a young age.”
In a statement, Cape Town Cycle Tour organisers said De Waal will always be remembered as one of South Africa’s pre-eminent road engineers, who steered a small group of visionaries and dreamers into creating the cycle tour.
“It is with great sadness we have learned of the passing of Louis de Waal, one of the founding fathers of the Cape Town Cycle Tour. “As a fellow cyclist, Louis continued to ride this event well into his 80s, finishing 42 times, all the while steering the development of the BEN (Bicycling Empowerment Network) Bikes programme.”
Meanwhile, the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company remembered its former chair and director fondly.
“Louis was a valued member of our team for more than 40 years; his time at the tourist attraction saw several memorable events and developments, which included two upgrades of the cable car (in 1974 and the major one in 1997) as well as Table Mountain’s New 7 Wonders of Nature campaign.
“Everyone will remember how he brought soup to our teams as they lived on the mountain for two weeks, during the 1997 major upgrade.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the De Waal family.”
A celebration of Louis de Waal’s life takes place today (19 March) at 15:00 at the False Bay Rugby Club in Constantia.
See page 9.
