Sports heroes walk against Aids
Candace Freeman
25 November 2004
The greatest contribution that individuals can make in the fight against HIV/Aids in South Africa is to ensure that those who have not contracted the deadly virus remain uninfected.
This was the message from Gauteng Sports and Recreation MEC Barbara Creecy, speaking in Johannesburg ahead of the 3rd annual Sport Heroes Walk against Aids.
Starting from the Mofolo Hospice in Soweto on 25 November, seven distinguished sports personalities will embark on a 417km walk from Johannesburg to Bloemfontein in an effort to raise funds for six charities working to fight the pandemic.
The group of superstars includes boxing legend Baby Jake Matlala, marathon champions Zithulele Sinqe and Josiah Thugwane, former Banyana Banyana skipper Desree Ellis, world karate champion Arturu Ballossini, provincial women's cricketer Darleen Terblanche, and former world boxing champion Lehlohonolo "hands of stone" Ledwaba.
Members of the public have been urged
to call the team during their walk on 083 123 0300, which also doubles as a pledge line. All funds raised through the calls - charged at normal cellular rates - and pledges made will be donated to identified orphanages and homes.
The walkers will visit schools and public arenas in various towns along their journey, where they will educate young and old on HIV/Aids.
The effort is a joint venture between the Gauteng departments of health and sports and recreation, the Sport Heroes Walk against Aids, a section 21 company, and various other private sector companies.
"As we continue to celebrate our 10 years of democracy and reap the fruits of our freedom, we still need to be cognisant of the fact that Aids is a killer and continues to kill our young ones who are supposed to be our future leaders", Creecy said.
"We as government understand the power of sport, and sports personalities have the ability to connect and talk to the youth, who will be carrying the
burden of HIV and Aids for the rest of their lives in one way or another."
A former beneficiary of the project, Lynne van Rooyen, manager of Takalani Home for the Mentally and Physically Disabled in Gauteng, commended the team for the work they've done and the change they've brought into the lives of hundreds of people.
"We received a grant of R150 000 through this project and were able to give each of our 488 dependents a wardrobe", Van Rooyen said. "This might seem like a trivial thing to a lot of people, but it certainly helped humanise the disability.
"The fact is that our people are dying of Aids, and I would like to encourage more South Africans to get involved in this event", she said.
Former Banyana Banyana skipper Desree Ellis, who has been doing the walk every year since its inauguration, said that seeing how events like this walk changed people's lives was what motivated her.
"During my sporting career a lot of people made a difference in
my life, and this is my way of giving something back", Ellis said. "I believe that as sporting heroes we need to go back and make a positive difference in our communities.
"People listen when we talk to them, and I believe they should learn that living disciplined lives will give them further protection against HIV."
The walk, which always kicks off in Johannesburg, was started in 2002 with a successful walk to Cape Town, followed in 2003 with a trip to KwaZulu-Natal.
Source: BuaNews
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