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Bikers for Mandela Day expand footprint with over 2 200kms

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The Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory has revealed the route to be followed by the Bikers for Mandela Day contingent this year. The group of riders includes staff from the foundation, 25 riders and 15 support staff who will depart from Montecasino, Johannesburg, on July 11.

The focus of the route in 2011 is significantly more rural than last year’s trip, starting in Gauteng and then going on to the Free State, Kwa-Zulu Natal, and Mpumulanga. A section of the Bikers for Mandela Day 2011 route also takes the riders through Swaziland. In addition, the route includes several heritage sites that are significant in the life and times of Nelson Mandela, including the site near the Kwa-Zulu Natal town of Howick where the ANC leader was captured on August 5, 1962 – marking close to 49 years since Mr Mandela’s arrest.

Starting with a project near Harrismith, other stop-off sites for Bikers For Mandela Day’s engagement with community projects include Jozini, Mbombela (Nelspruit), Graskop and Eshowe.

Wednesday 29 June 2011 13:10

“The Bikers For Mandela Day trip this year is more arduous and extensive than last year’s, which is saying something considering we encountered rain, storms, sunshine and even snow en route in 2010,

The Bikers For Mandela Day 2011 journey is supported by Spar and
Vodacom as well as 46664, which has selected the project as key to its
mission of furthering the humanitarian legacy of Mandela. A host of
other businesses, media, community projects, municipalities and more
have also contributed this year.

The annual ‘Bikers For Mandela
Day’ forms an integral part of the Mandela Day activities, with the
eight-day ride ending in Pretoria on July 18. Significantly, both the
day of departure on July 11 and the day of return by Bikers For Mandela
Day are Mondays, further reinforcing the recently launched ‘Mandela
Mondays’.

As was the case with the 2010 Bikers For Mandela Day
trip, the group of riders will be visiting community projects along the
route, devoting 67 minutes of their time to activities that will leave
a lasting and sustainable impact on their beneficiaries.

“The
Bikers For Mandela Day trip this year is more arduous and extensive
than last year’s, which is saying something considering we encountered
rain, storms, sunshine and even snow en route in 2010,” says Zelda la
Grange of the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory.”But as a Mandela Day
project that touches on all aspects of our founder’s life and legacy,
the riders are all determined to undertake the journey. We hope it will
inspire many other South Africans, whether part of a bike riding club
or a canoe club, a stokvel or as individuals to do their 67 minutes of
community action on July 18th as well as five minutes on Mandela
Mondays.”

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