Done and dusted: one man, one tractor, 3 670km for charity

Retired neurosurgeon Dr André Hattingh completed the third annual On-Trac-Tor for Charity tractor ride through six South African provinces on Sunday August 11.

Arriving at Mahindra Nelspruit to smoke bombs and a chequered flag at the finish line, an elated Hattingh was happy to have reached the end of this epic journey. “I’m definitely not going to drive a tractor for the next one-and-a-half weeks. I’m going to sleep for the next two days,” he said.

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The purpose of the world record tractor ride attempt of no less than 3 500km was threefold. Firstly, to draw international attention to farm murders in South Africa; secondly, to raise funds for Pedriatric Care Africa, a registered non-profit organisation that helps sick children from underresourced communities get access to professional medical care; and thirdly, to create awareness of violence against children in our country.

The ultra long tractor ride started at Mahindra Nelspruit on July 21 and took Hattingh on a scenic journey of a lifetime through the provinces of Mpumalanga, North West, Limpopo, the Free State, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Since the record attempt will be lodged with RecordSetters in the USA for verification before it can be accepted and officiated and an official world record certificate issued, Hattingh completed an extra 170km in case there was a discrepancy with the global positioning system. Verification will take two to three weeks to complete.

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At an average speed of 26km/h in an enclosed glass cabin, Hattingh not only got to fully appreciate our country’s spectacular scenery (which he lists as a highlight), but also experienced sunburn from all sides.

“Gentlemen, no matter how angry you are at your wife, don’t do it!” he said about the gruelling journey.

With temperatures ranging from -8ºC in the Free State to the mid-30s in Mpumalanga, Hattingh was grateful for the flagship Mahindra 86-110’s climate control system. Commenting on his personal experience, he said the trip quickly became something he could never have foreseen.

“It became a trip of hope for people along the road, and fundraising became a secondary priority. What it did for the psyche of the people out there I’ve met … People just kept on saying: ‘Doctor, thank you for bringing us hope and for caring!’ I quickly realised the best medicine for South Africa is a little bit of hope and a little bit of caring,” he said.

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Hattingh said he was deeply touched and inspired by the amazing people he met along the way and how supportive they were, listing it as another highlight of the trip.

He is considering making next year’s trip about hope. “Where there is hope, there’s a smile, and where there’s a smile, there is always success,” he said.