“By doing this we are setting the wheels in motion for the rest of South Africa’s 50 million citizens to carry forward Madiba’s spirit of service towards others.”
This was the message delivered in Pretoria by 23 South African celebrity personalities on Monday, soon after they’d completed the 2 200km 2011 Bikers for Mandela Day motorbike road trip.
The 23, who included TV and radio personalities, have been on the road for eight days, travelling through Gauteng, the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland and Mpumalanga, as part of the world’s celebrations to commemorate Nelson Mandela’s 93rd birthday and the 67 years of service he gave to South Africa.
Ending the mammoth trek with a video link to US actor Morgan Freeman and British adventurer and entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, the group was overwhelmed by emotion as they described their journey.
“Spectacular,” said Mandela’s executive assistant, Zelda la Grange.
“No words can come close to how we are feeling right now. This is beyond words,” she said, clearly overwhelmed with emotion.
For TV personality and Isidingo star Jack Devnarain, the journey was the memory of a lifetime.
“What we have accomplished has helped to bring a powerful message to the country and the world. But, while we celebrate giving our time back to our country, we must be aware of the danger of losing the message and its meaning.
“It is extremely easy to lose the meaning of this day through catch phrases, which is not what today or Nelson Mandela are about.
“The day is not about giving money. It is about the giving of your time in honour of the 67 years which Madiba gave for this country.
“It is vital to keep the spirit of the meaning of the message of service to others alive.
“The message from us is to say to people, ‘Take the first step. If you do this and connect with your community, and connect your community to other communities, then you will help this country to grow.’”
5FM presenter DJ Fresh, speaking to Morgan Freeman and Richard Branson, said the work they had done did not even begin to touch the tip of the iceberg.
“We have done a lot while we have been on the road, but there is so much more work that needs to be done. It is good to be back, but I wish we could have done it for longer,” he said.
Describing the most memorable moment of the trip, where he gained true realisation about helping others, DJ Fresh said it was when he met an eight-year-old girl and her two-year-old brother who had to fend for themselves.
“They are from Belfast in Mpumalanga. They were abandoned near a dam where this little girl looked after her brother until they were eventually taken in.
“The fact that this little girl, like so many other children, had to play the role of a parent to her brother is heart wrenching.
“We should not be having scenarios like this in South Africa. Our children should not have to grow up like this and it is our duty to ensure that this does not happen,” he said.
Describing the experience as transforming, DJ Fresh said he would continue to give of his time as Mandela had done.
5FM news presenter Angie Khumalo said while it felt great to bring smiles and joy to the lives of countless people, the real heroes were those who worked and lived in the communities they had travelled through.
“Be they teachers, mothers or caregivers, what they do makes them South Africa’s true, real-life heroes, who are constantly giving of their time in service to those less fortunate,” she said.
For Egoli actor Darren Kelfkens, who shares his birthday with Mandela, Madiba has helped to restore his pride making a proud South Africa. “For the first 30 years of my life I was ashamed to be white, but that has changed with Mandela making me proud of being South African.
“Nelson Mandela has shown me, this country and the world that political rhetoric is not the tool for reconciliation. The tool for reconciliation is that of giving and caring, which is what Madiba is all about. We are just 20 odd bikers, but we have helped to set the wheels in motion which the rest of South Africans can carry on turning to make our country and its people into what they should be,” he said. - Pretoria News