29 Oct 2024 PPA CELEBRATES TRANSPORT MONTH THROUGHOUT SOUTH AFRICA
October was #TransportMonth, and thanks to our sponsors Toyota and the Road Accident Fund as well as all our loyal members we were able to promote cycling throughout South Africa. The team traveled extensively throughout October to attend events initiated by various local government transport departments, civil society, and cycling organisations to promote cycling as a safer, more affordable, accessible, and reliable means of transport.
The PPA hosted or partnered in bicycle and safety gear handouts and awareness rides in the Western Cape, Gauteng, KZN and Northwest to promote cycling and the safety thereof.
As our focus was on bike mobility in #TransportMonth, we handed out bicycles in all provinces we visited and shared road safety talks with learners of all ages.
We started off #Transportmonth with a commuter handout in Diepsloot, Gauteng, where cycling commuters face more problems than solutions. Winter is the worst time of year, they say. Joburg’s gardens grow more slowly, which means less work for gardeners. And shorter days mean cyclists brave the traffic in inky dark, cold mornings and evenings with little reflective gear for protection. The PPA together with Lions Pretoria East and the Road Accident Fund, handed out reflective bibs, lights and helmets to more than 200 commuters to keep them safe on the road.
The PPA Stay Wider of the Rider hosted our very first City of Joburg Safe Cycling Awareness Ride on Sunday 6 October. The ride started in the heart of the CBD and followed a 25km iconic route filled with history through Newtown, Melville, Westcliff, Zoo Lake, and Jan Smuts drive. The ride was thoroughly enjoyed by cyclists from all levels of society, which illustrated how popular cycling in the city has become. The main objective of the ride was to demonstrate that cyclists have a right to be on the road and that they are extremely vulnerable.
The mood was electric, and the bikes told a story and showed the expression of self-diversity amongst cyclists. Each one of the cyclists highlighted their love for cycling. We were united in our aim to establish safer conditions on our roads so that we can promote cycling as a means of safe affordable transportation as we finally crossed the Nelson Mandela bridge in Newton at the end of the ride. A huge thank you to the City of Joburg Road Safety Department and JMPD for their role in staging an unforgettable ride.
In Soweto we handed over bikes to Gift Mwakona from the Haven of Hope children’s home. Gift uses cycling as a means of therapy for children that come from abusive backgrounds. The home accommodates 15 children who are now all being taught how to ride bicycles.
The team travelled to KZN to host a safe cycling awareness ride in Durban prior to the Amashova on Saturday 16 October, which was well attended by local clubs, youth riders, families and PPA members who all support our safe cycling initiative. The ride through parts of Durban and Durban North led by Durban Metro Police symbolised our call for mutual respect on our roads.
The PPA team also handed over bikes to the Go Durban Cycling Academy’s pump track in Wentworth. This world class track is managed by a team under the leadership of Shaun Pescl and is one of five pump tracks in the area. Shaun is hosting the World Pump Track Championship in KwaMashu on the 9th of November, and it is inspiring to see the local talent that has already been discovered in KZN.
On 26 October we partnered with Ga Rankuwa Cycling Club in the Northwest to co-host an awareness ride for the second year in a row. The focus was on road safety for vulnerable road users which included cyclists, walkers, and runners of the community. It was heartwarming to have so many PPA supporters from Gauteng join us on the day. In scorching temperatures, the participants in the cycling awareness ride completed a 30 km ride through the town to create awareness. So many women and children participated as the community came together to say no to drug abuse and road safety.
Cycling is also thriving in Ga Rankuwa under the guidance of local cyclist, Victor Phiri. We handed over bikes to his club to encourage cycling amongst the youth in the area.
Mobility plays a crucial role in keeping our roads safe and ensuring that traffic flows smoothly, but we need your involvement to continue improving how we move in and around the City of Cape Town. PPA Bike4All and Bicycling Empowerment Network (BEN) joined the City of Cape Town Mobility team for their roadshows during #TransportMonth where all citizens of the City of Cape Town had the opportunity to connect with the Urban Mobility team to learn how they can make a difference. Information about current and upcoming projects were shared with everyone who visited these road shows hosted at civic centres in Parow, Tableview, Athlone and Somerset West.
The PPA Cool Kid on a Bike Team also visited schools in the Western Cape as part of our partnership with the Western Cape Education Department to promote safe cycling. Since 2023, we have visited close to 350 primary and secondary schools to promote bike mobility amongst learners in the province. We joined the Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde along with Cycling South Africa in Oudtshoorn on Thursday 10 October to hand out bikes to Bridgeton Secondary School. The school has a top cycling club who have excelled at youth events. It is heartening to see with what dedication cycling is promoted at school level in Oudtshoorn.
And finally, the PPA’s Bike4All campaign along with the Bicycling Empowerment Network (BEN) in partnership with the Provincial Sustainable Transport Programme of the Western Cape Mobility Department, handed over 72 bicycles in Malmesbury and also conducted safety training and basic mechanical training with the recipients. These included two SMME’s, a Neighbourhood Watch team as well as four schools.
We want to thank all our members that contribute towards the promotion of cycling and the safety thereof throughout South Africa. Without your annual contribution none of the work we do will materialise. Thank you for the support we got from all these provinces. The PPA will host more of these rides in 2025 as we expand our reach throughout South Africa.
Together we are stronger.