31 Jul 2017

Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism has applauded organisers of the annual Nedbank Tour de Tuli Mountain Bicycle for their efforts towards conservation.

The Tour de Tuli, sponsored by Nedbank in South Africa, raises funds for Children in the Wilderness (CITW).

They are described as children residing near game reserves for the purpose of conserving the flora and fauna through school eco-clubs. It also aims to sensitise communities about the sensitivity of the environment.

Speaking during the official opening last Thursday at Limpopo Valley Airfied, Tshekedi Khama said the event sought to secure the future because failure would be disastrous. T

shekedi, who is also the Member of Parliament for Serowe West, said Africa boasted 400 000 elephants and that Botswana was home to over half of them.

He said some elephants fled Botswana due to poaching, a situation that prevailed in South Africa as well.

He urged communities to do all in their power to protect the environment for future generations.

His ministry, he said, had entered into another agreement with South Africa for more rhinos to be sent to Botswana for protection.

The minister thanked bikers and organisers for their efforts to raise environmental awareness, saying government recognised and appreciated their efforts hence the willingness to provide them with a venue.

The Tour de Tuli is held annually in the pristine areas Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa, and its mandate is to raise funds for Children in the Wilderness (CITW).

The chairperson of CITW, Russel Friedman said the programme had been running for 12 years, and provided training to children in areas with wildlife through eco-clubs as well as giving bursaries and scholarships to contribute to wildlife. He said the tour was the main fundraiser for CITW, and that all funds raised by the tour were channeled into CITW.

Friedman said over the last 12 years, the tour had hosted approximately 3 223 cyclists and raised R18 million which CITW used to host over 5 600 children on camp programme since 2001 and over 11 000 children on eco-club programme since 2012.

The tour, he said, was renowned for its high standards of service and unique experience of riding through some of Africa’s most pristine, wildlife and geologically rich areas in Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Cyclists not only have the opportunity of encountering a variety of wildlife, but the route also includes magnificent scenery and cultural interactions with local communities living in the boundaries of the protected areas.

This year’s four-day event attracted close to 400 mountain bikers in the challenging and remote terrain of Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. ENDS