Joy ride ends in tragedy in pass

Update

GEORGE NEWS - What would have been a pleasant joy ride ended in sadness when an avid Sedgefield motorbike rider, Jules Absillis (67), lost control of his BMW GS, crashed and died in the Outeniqua Pass on Sunday 13 May.

"We had just had our usual Sunday ride and pizza and were on our way back home at 12:00 when the accident happened," said one of his best friends, Eddie Trauschweizer, who found him lying next to the road.

Absillis was already dead. Just moments before, Eddie had turned around and gone in search of Absillis when he could not see him and Tess, his girlfriend, behind him anymore.

"We think he had a black-out and lost control of his bike. He had been suffering from heart problems for three years.

Three weeks ago he had a procedure done but he was as keen as always to join us on our usual Sunday ride out to a local restaurant.

"He was a great guy, always friendly and well-liked and ready to give support. He loved the outdoors. We had been friends for over 30 years."

Jules Absillis

At the scene of the accident, near the Montagu Pass turn-off, Eddie found the bushes nearby flattened and gathered that Absillis had swerved off the road onto the embankment and then back onto the cemented road drainage channel, where he had crashed to a halt.

Absillis's girlfriend Tess Didiro, who was pillion riding, was hurled off the bike. She had sustained injuries and Metro ambulance services took her to the George Hospital for X-rays.

His Sedgefield and George motorbike friends, including Eddie, his wife Ruth, and Ronald Raschke, stayed for a moment of remembrance in the pass. Before Absillis emigrated to South Africa he had owned restaurants in Belgium and owned an Airbnb at Myoli Beach in Sedgefield.

The BMW bike belonging to Jules Absillis was loaded onto a bakkie while officials cleared the road. Photo: Pauline Lourens

He leaves behind a six-year-old son. Funeral arrangements were not yet known at the time of going to print.

The police, traffic and three ambulance services were at the scene. The accident happened in a straight section of the pass on a downwards bound lane.

Sedgefielder Jules Absilis, ex-patriot of Belgium, was on a fun motorbike ride down the Outeniqua pass when he lost control and died on Sunday.