The taxi driver who killed South African mountain biker Burry Stander in 2013 has been sentenced to six years' imprisonment, half of which is suspended for five years, reports Times Live.

Minibus taxi driver, Njabulo Nyawose, was convicted of culpable homicide in April after hitting Stander on January 3, 2013. The mountain biker, who finished fifth in the Olympic cross-country race in 2012, was on his way home from a training ride when the incident took place.

The prosecution case was that Nyawose was travelling south on Marine Drive when he crossed the centre line to turn right and hit Stander, who was heading north.

Defending Nyawose, Xolile Ntshulana argued that “perceptions of taxi drivers” should not affect the court’s sentence and requested that Nyawose be given a fine or a suspended sentence. However, Port Shepstone magistrate, Charmaine Barnard, disagreed and said that a message needed to be sent to Nyawose and other drivers.

Barnard said that Nyawose had shown “a wilful disregard for a traffic sign in a congested road and overtook vehicles in front of him.”

“Taking unnecessary chances without considering the consequences, especially to avoid traffic, will not be tolerated. A ‘no overtaking’ line is there for a reason. In this case, the accused’s conduct had the worst possible consequence.”

In removing Nyawose’s licence, she also said that he should have acted with additional caution as he was carrying passengers.

Stander’s mother, Mandie, described the sentence as “realistic” and added: “I was not looking for revenge. Hopefully this sentence will give motorists a wake-up call and make them considerate to others on the road.”