Bikers for Nelson Mandela Day depart from Johannesburg

July 13, 2010 –A group of 21 motorbike riders and a support team of around 20 people left the Nelson Mandela Foundation this morning on a six-day road trip to Cape Town to spread the word about Mandela Day. Actor Morgan Freeman is participating in the event, although he is not riding a bike.

The bikers, including Jack Devnarain, Jeremy Mansfield, Lehlohonolo Saint Seseli and Hanna Grobler, will work in community projects in various towns en route as their contribution to Mandela Day.

At a press conference to see off the bikers, Nelson Mandela Foundation’s CEO Achmat Dangor said he believed that the “journey would touch people everywhere”.

ANC MP Buti Manamela, speaking on behalf of the Parliament of South Africa, said the bikers were “messengers who, throughout the country … at each and every stop, will be planting the seed of Madiba’s values.”
He added, “Let us do something as communities, let us make every day a Mandela Day.”

Morgan Freeman told the gathering: “I am not a speaker, I am an actor and I don’t have a script. I am very happy to be here and take part in Mandela Day in South Africa.”

South African actor Jack Devnarain said: “Part of our message is to remind South Africans that we are all inspired and our task is to inspire each other … the great goal is to remind people that Mandela Day is not just about 67 years of sacrifice and service, it is about living a lifetime of sacrifice and service.”

Kaya FM general manager, Greg Maloka, made a pledge and challenged all other broadcasters to the same. He said his radio station would “broadcast two messages every day for 67 years which will focus purely on Mandela.” He then handed Dangor a framed broadcast schedule from July 18, 2010 to July 18, 2077.

Wishing the bikers well on behalf of the City of Johannesburg was Director of Communications Gabu Tugwana: “As the home of Madiba, the City of Johannesburg is very pleased to be part of this initiative … [this] is a very noble task of trying to keep the conscience of the nation alive.”

The bikers’ route and itinerary:

Day one – Tuesday, July 13, 2010:
9:00am Depart Johannesburg
11:30am Visit Matlosana (Khuma township) to hand blankets over to the council
12:30pm Depart Matlosana

Day two – Wednesday, July 14, 2010
07:40am Press conference at the Southern Sun Bloemfontein
10:00am Visit Lebone House (outside Bloemfontein) to weed, garden, paint, and replant trees.
Depart for Graaff-Reinet.

Day three – Thursday, July 15, 2010
Depart for De Rust.
2:30pm Visit De Rust Farm School to complete a prefab building.
Depart for Oudtshoorn

Day four – Friday, July 16, 2010
Depart for Barrydale
12:30pm Support the “Barrydale Cares for Mandela Day” Project at Barrydale Town Hall, lending assistance in soup kitchen and handing out blankets.
5:00pm Visit the SPCA in Ashton to clean cages, walk dogs and support workers

Day five – Saturday, July 17, 2010
Depart for Robertson
09:45am Visit Die Herberg Children’s Orphanage to paint walls in the pre-primary school
Depart for Wellington
Work in the soup kitchen outside Wellington, preparing food for the community, participating in young girls’ counselling and guiding the boys’ soccer team
Depart for Franschoek

Day six – Sunday, July 18, 2010
10:00am Visit the AIDS Response centre in Khayelitsha to erect a fence
12:00pm Arrive at Cape Town City Hall
1:00pm Press conference at the One&Only Hotel, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town

Bikers:
YFM presenter and prominent businessman Mvulane Mnisi aka Rudeboy Paul; radio and television personality Jeremy Mansfield; Isidingo actor Jack Devnarain, Isidingo; producer and former Egoli actor Darren Kelfkens; Survivor SA contestant and actor Hanna Grobler; prominent businessman and owner of Gold Rand Harley Sean Shipalana; Radio OFM presenter James Kilbourn; prominent businessman Sithembiso Khoza; Outdoor Medical owner Bertus Prinsloo; Trinergy Brand Connector’s Haydn Townsend; singer and actor Ivan Zimmerman; award-winning author Jacqui Mansfield; legendary off-road motorbike rider and trainer Jan du Toit; motorbiking expert and columnist Lehlohonolo Saint Seseli; film producer Lori McCreary; award-winning singer Louis Pepler aka Bok van Blerk; off-road tutor and member of the Christian Motorcycle Association Ramon Changuion; actor Grant Roberts; MBG security for bikers Nico Grobler; Nelson Mandela Foundation’s Zelda la Grange and businessman Constant Visser.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation is making a special appeal to the country’s biking community to support the Mandela Day tour by performing a good service of some kind in their own home town and local communities.

Mandela Day, July 18, celebrates the 92nd birthday of Nelson Mandela, and is a call to action for all South Africans to make a difference in the places in which they live and work. Declared Nelson Mandela International Day by the United Nations last year, July 18 is one day in the year that people across the globe can band together to serve the communities around them and work toward a better tomorrow.

We are all urged to make every day a Mandela Day.

Special thanks to:

Vodacom, Absa, and Spar

Also thanks to:

Square Roofing, SABC, Kaya FM, Wimpy, Amalgamated Beverage Industries (ABI), Imison, Bokomo Foods, Tiger Brands, OFM, Harley-Davidson Gold Rand, BMW, Audi, Willards, Sesli Blankets, Yamaha, Outdoor Medical, Cadbury, RTT, Simba, Coca-Cola, Metro Police, provincial traffic departments, SAPF, mayors and premiers of provinces.