The Toyota Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race from September 24 to 26, round six of the Absa Off Road Championship, has always had a uniquely African flavor which will be carried a step further this year.
Trophies and the traditional badges for all competitors who finish what is the only marathon event on the national off road calendar, will this year be manufactured by street vendors in Johannesburg and surrounding areas. The trophies will be wire cars with beading mounted on stands, with the finishers badges carved in wood.
The Toyota Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race is once again being organised by the Four Wheel Drive Club of SA which decided to move away from the traditional metal or glass trophies.
“We felt that here was an ideal opportunity to expand the African feel of the event and, at the same time, to provide additional work for members of under privilege communities,” said race chairman Alan Reid. “There are some very talented people in these communities and we are delighted to provide them with much needed work and the opportunity to market their wares on a wider scale.
“The trophies and the badges are a major departure from the norm, but they are stunning and we think competitors will be delighted with their mementoes of an event with an Africa aura about it.”
Former domestic worker Ntombi Manyoni, the brains behind the e-Nkomo Arts and Traders cc curio shop at the Bara taxi rank, will provide some of the wire cars and beading. The 73-year-old Ntombi learned to do bead work and registered a close corporation when forced to close a business she had run for many years next to Orlando station.
Ntombi said that with profits from the Toyota Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race project she would buy new stock for her business.
Admire Yasini, originally from Zimbabwe, will also fashion beaded motor vehicles. He has had a passion for the work since a young age, and supports three siblings who are unemployed and a younger brother still at school.
With money earned from producing the Toyota Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race trophies Admire plans to open a stand at Bruma Lake where he can display and sell his beaded works of art.
Nkosinathi Ndaba, commonly known as Nathi, is from Dlamini 2 in Soweto and will carve the wooden badges. Nathi has always been interested in art but studied to qualify as a motor mechanic and bricklayer, and more recently has been scratching a living as a handyman.
Nathi said the opportunity to carve the badges was a ‘dream’ come true. Because of the volume of work and the limited time at his disposal, Nathi has hired two young unemployed men from Soweto to help him with the project.
He is also hoping to buy additional machinery with the profits, and plans to train other young artists from Soweto.
The Toyota Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race will this year be based at Kumakwane, 25 kilometres west of Gaborone. Race headquarters, the start/finish and the designated service point will all be at Kumakwane.