Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
South African Press Association (Johannesburg) - September 28, 2003
"It (the project) started by watching TV in the wee hours of the morning, when I saw German Joachim Franz -- who had achieved world-wide acclaim by cycling the Paris-Dakar off-road rally route -- being interviewed by German television," said Johan Lewin, the man whose idea it is for a team of local and foreign endurance athletes to journey from Muizenberg in Cape Town to Johannesburg.
The German team consists of Franz, Dr Michael Strohmann and Tom Staats, who will traverse 16 towns along the way, including Oudsthoorn, Uitenhage, Tsomo, Harrismith, Balfour and Underberg.
Lewin, whose Saint Helena Bay community project "Masibambane"
("joining hands") was one of the lead participants, said the objective was to raise huge awareness and to raise funds to assist smaller organisations with infrastructure and capacity building.
"We are not just going to the highways, but to the by-ways as well, in for example the Eastern Cape," said Lewin.
He said HIV-positive patients would participate for shorter stages.
The endurance athletes are complete 2600km in 15 days, averaging a 50km run and a 125km bike ride a day.
Project manager Alex Marshall said that at all times there would be about 20 runners/cyclists participating.
"We are not using high-profile local athletes, but rather want to draw on local community athletes. We need to rally as a community around HIV/Aids or (we) will be defeated by the pandemic," he said.
One of the major sponsors, Volkswagen SA, said that they were supporting the initiative and were providing the money and support vehicles.
"It is a good initiative to support, and I believe that we are one of the leading companies in the initiative to fight the HIV/Aids pandemic in SA. It is a laudable project and deserving of support," said Volkswagen SA spokesman Matt Gennrich, who preferred not to divulge the costs.
The national Health Department's Harry Mchunu said they helping with the planning of the event, with "communication, health and directorates on HIV/Aids, TB and malaria part of a task team."
He said the department was keen to ensure the event was a success, and it welcomed any initiative that would increase of communicable diseases such as HIV/Aids.
Mchunu said Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang had been briefed informally on the event.
The Treatment Action Campaign's national treasurer said the organisation was unaware of the event, "But we will support any genuine effort at raising HIV/Aids awareness wholeheartedly, as long as it is properly organised and is not over-stretched regarding costs as opposed to measurable results."
Registration takes place on October 6, with the athletes expected to depart the following day.
Other highlights include a City of Cape Town banquet on October 2 and a pre-event in Vredenberg/Saldanha on October 4.
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