Bicycle handover event to be held on 24 March

Western Cape Minister of Transport and Public Works Bonginkosi Madikizela will hand over bicycles to the Open Streets organisation on Wednesday 24 March 2021. The handover is part of the Provincial Sustainable Transport Programme of the Department of Transport and Public Works. Open Streets is a non-profit organisation based in Woodstock whose goal is to increase the use of public and non-motorised transport in the Western Cape.

The Department Department of Transport and Public Works started distributing bicycles in November 2020 in partnership with the Bicycle Consortium (Qhubeka, Pedal Power Association and Ben Bikes). The goal was to distribute up to 400 bicycles to community-based organisations (CBOs) in the six Western and Southern COVID-19 hotspot areas of the Western Cape: Atlantis, Dunoon, Langa, Grassy Park and surroundings, Masiphumelele, and Retreat.

This project aims to remove the transport barrier and help local community organisations to maximise their reach and better meet the needs of the people they serve. In communities where the majority of the population can barely afford to use taxis, bicycles are a more efficient way than walking to deliver services that are essential to the community. For example, neighbourhood watch safety patrols and community health care workers can more easily travel using bicycles, and bicycles can facilitate soup kitchen deliveries, food parcel deliveries, as well as deliveries from community gardens.

Event details are as follows:
Date:   Wednesday, 24 March 2021
Time:   14:30
Venue: 17 Shelley Street, Salt River

All media are welcome to attend. There will be opportunities for media interviews and photographs. Social distancing and mask-wearing will be strictly enforced.