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Students cycle to Durban, ‘take lessons in life’

ROUXVILLE - Cycalive is an event for Grade 11 pupils from different cultural and religious backgrounds, allowing them to take part in a cycle relay from Johannesburg to Durban.

“Cycalive gave pupils from Pace College in Soweto and Torah Academy the wings to fly,” said principal of Pace College Dan Zimba at the launch of the 16th Cycalive ride to Durban.

Cycalive is an event for Grade 11 pupils from different cultural and religious backgrounds, allowing them to take part in a cycle relay from Johannesburg to Durban.

Thirty-five cyclists from three local schools – Torah Academy in Orchards, and Moletsane High School and Pace College in Soweto – as well as a school from Bet Shemesh in Israel, started their five-day trip to the rousing accompaniment of the Springs Field Band, along with the Steel Wings motorcyclists, their Harley Davidson engines roaring.

Zimba, who has been associated with Cycalive since its inception in 1998, pointed out that proceeds from Cycalive were used to improve education and facilities at the two Soweto schools. He attributed the schools being among the best in Soweto largely to this assistance.

The 700km route will take the cyclists along the old route to Durban, namely the R103.

En route they will hand out gifts to patients at the Newcastle Hospital and for disabled students at Ethembeni High School in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal.

They arrive in Durban on 8 August, to a welcome by the KwaZulu-Natal Field Band, civic dignitaries and community leaders.

Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein told the audience that the event was a very important living and moving symbol of some our most precious values in South Africa: nation building and unity, road safety, sport, the power of youth and courage. “The participants were an inspiration to all South Africans,” he added.

Sello Hatang, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation – which includes Cycalive as one of the major events on its calendar- said the cyclists were contributing to good race relations in South Africa and to other challenges faced by the country.

He quoted Nelson Mandela, saying: “It is in your hands to build a better world for all, one step at a time.”

Marlene Bethlehem, a commissioner on the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL), said sport helped forge national unity. “It has much to give by way of national reconciliation, bringing hope, when formerly there had been despair,” said Bethlehem.

Clifford Amoils, speaking on behalf of the sponsors of the event, congratulated the cyclists for being selected, as there had been much competition for the 35 places, based more on character and contribution to the schools than on cycling ability. “It was important on a national and individual level. Participants could take lessons in life from it,” said Amoils.

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