Johannesburg - Justice Minister Ronald Lamola swopped his suits for tights and a bike at the weekend in an effort to buy bikes for learners in Bushbuckridge to ride to school.
The event was hosted at Leeuwkop Correctional Services in Joburg where more than 230 people participated. Most cyclists were amateur riders who rode for leisure but joined the race for a good cause.
Money made from ticket sales was used to purchase 100 bikes.
Speaking to The Star, Lamola said the project was close to his heart as he was an avid cyclist and the 100 bikes would be donated to his home town – Bushbuckridge – next month.
“A car is not the only mode of transport, in fact, bicycles are an alternative mode of transport in most developed countries.
“This is what we are trying to sanitise for learners to go to school,” he said.
Lamola said although he did not have to walk a considerable distance to get to school as he grew up in Mpumalanga, he was aware that his peers had to walk an hour to and from school every day.
He hoped that the project would help learners such as those and promote some form of entrepreneurship.
The Star