Cycling to fight child abuse

The 31st Randfontein Show got off to an emotional start with the launch of the Matla A Bana Xtreme Cycle Tour for Kids 2017.

From Thursday, 2 March to Sunday, 12 March a team of cyclists – with Dirk Lourens as team leader – will cycle from Johannesburg to Cape Town. The last leg of their journey will be participating in the Cape Town Cycle Tour. The tour will consist of 11 stages over 10 days, covering nearly 2 000km, during which they will stop at seven schools and speak to more than 6 000 children about bullying.

Although Randfontein was not the official point of departure, it was decided to start their remarkable journey at the Show Grounds at the Greenhills Sport Stadium on day one of the Randfontein Show. From there the team made their way to Parys assisted by Gauteng Police members.

As early as 7am, people in support of the project, such as representatives from its sponsors, the media, organisations, businesses, local cycling club Randmark members and police gathered to witness the launch of the tour.

Some big names present included Monique Strydom (founder of Matla A Bana who came all the way from Cape Town) and Major General Tebello Mosikili, national head of the police’s Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit.

Dominee Johan van der Merwe from the Lewende Nuwe Generasie Kerk prayed a blessing over everyone involved in the project, especially the cyclists. He also prayed for an end to atrocities against children.

Tebello’s speech tugged at the heartstrings of many as she explained that crimes against children are a sad reality.

Recent cases to have reached her desk include that of an 11-month-old baby who was sexually assaulted by a 27-year-old man, the rape and death of a five-year-old girl whose mother discovered her lifeless body in her bed, and of a man who created and manufactured child pornography, and was sentenced to 870 years’ imprisonment last week.

“There should be no victims of abuse and we thank Matla A Bana for what they are doing for our children. We are grateful to everyone involved in the cycle tour for this good cause,” Mosikili said.

According to Matla A Bana, a child is raped every three minutes in South Africa – most of them are young girls aged between eight and 12. In 80 per cent of these cases the rapist is someone they know, such as the father, grandfather, brother or stepfather. In 97 per cent of these cases, men are the perpetrators.

Stages to be cycled:

• Stage 1: Johannesburg (Randfontein) to Parys (118km)

• Stage 2: Parys to Welkom (191km)

• Stage 3: Welkom to Bloemfontein (157km)

• Stage 4: Bloemfontein to Gariep Dam (271km)

• Stage 5: Gariep Dam to Graaff-Reinet (252km)

• Stage 6: Graaff-Reinet to Uniondale (232km)

• Stage 7: Uniondale to Mossel Bay (161km)

• Stage 8: Mossel Bay to Swellendam (168km)

• Stage 9: Swellendam to Wolseley (153km)

• Stage 10: Wolseley to Durbanville (104km)

• Stage 11: Durbanville to Cape Town Cycle Tour

The team will update the Herald on their progress. Watch this space.

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