Matla a Bana gives a hero’s send-off to Xtreme for Kids Cycle Tour team
Six cyclists and their support team will be riding 1 675km over 11 stages between Krugersdorp and Cape Town.
Charitable hearts pump to the limits for the safety of the youth.
For the first time since 2020, Matla a Bana will be embarking on their Xtreme for Kids Cycle Tour. The gruelling 11-stage, two-wheeled endurance challenge began on March 1 and will see riders cycle 1 675km in stages ranging from 100km to 270km.
The leg was a 120km ride from Laerskool Muldersdrif to Parys and the tour ends on March 12 in Cape Town just in time to take part in the 2023 Cape Town Cycle Tour.
Matla A Bana is celebrating their 21st birthday this year and has been doing this ride since 20133. That first iteration featured three riders and while the numbers have fluctuated over the years, six riders have signed on for 2023, plus various volunteers assisting in support roles. The theme of this year’s tour will be #No2ChildRape, expanding on their core theme of assisting young victims of sexual abuse.
Matla a Bana is a specialised charity and the only non-profit organisation (NPO) to have a memorandum of understanding with the South African Police. The charity aims to curb secondary abuse by creating safe environments for sexually abused children to navigate the harsh and intimidating atmosphere of reporting said crimes.
“Better reporting means better outcomes,” said Matla a Bana’s Founder, Managing Director, and figurehead, Monique Strydom.
The evening before the brave cycle team left on their charitable journey, Matla a Bana held a dinner for executives and trustees, sponsors, and friends. The dinner was an opportunity to thank those who have helped the NPO become a significant force for change in the lives of young abuse victims, namely Business Leadership South Africa, Autozone, Netcare 911, and police’s Family Crimes, Child Protection and Sexual Violence Unit (FCS).
Autozone executive, Sekhwela Mokgala noted how special it was to be involved in the project while the National Commander of the FCS unit, Colonel Celeste van Klashorst, wished the team strength and health for the trip ahead.
“Thank you to all the cyclists for their sacrifice. Godspeed on your journey. Thank you to all the sponsors, Monique would not be able to do the great work she does without you,” said the Colonel.
The six-man all-Western Cape team will comprise team leader Allan Kleete, lawyer Hennie van Rooyen, and Elandsbaai police station commander, Gerrit Jonker. The serious cyclers saddling up are property investor Izak du Plessis, hydrogeologist Julian Conrad and the Managing Director of Wolf Security, who sponsored several of the support vehicles, Garth Briggs.
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“We would not have been here if it were not for everyone’s support. Thank you to all the cyclists, we hope you have a fantastic tour,” said Monique.
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In addition to the cycle tour, the support team will be stopping at 15 schools in four provinces to promote anti-bullying messaging. Reagan Carolissen will be playing Captain Bully Buster and will be converting children into constables as he and his sidekick, Worry Worm, educate children on the different types of bullying. The progress of the Xtreme for Kids Cycle Tour can be tracked on social media as Matla a Bana leave a trail of safer children and societal change.
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