The Capital City woke up to the smell of rubber and the crackle of thunderous V-twin and roaring V8 engines riding through its streets on Sunday (26 November 2017), when bikers embarked on the annual Pretoria Toy Run.
This event, The Annual Toy Run is the largest of its kind in South Africa of which The Pretoria Toy Run is the second largest in Gauteng, has again enjoyed the support of Bakwena N1N4 toll road. As a sponsor, Bakwena grants all bikers riding in the Toy Run free pass at the Doornpoort & Brits plaza along the N4 and also donated R16 500 towards the T-shirts that are sold on the day to raise funds for various charities.
Thousands of enthusiastic bikers, made up of local and surrounding biking club members started their engines at the Kolonnade Retail Park on Sefako Makgatho Drive for the +/_70 km charity ride, which culminates at the Hartbeespoort Holiday Resort.
“Bakwena has long supported the Pretoria and Limpopo Toy Runs and is once again proud to be associated with these worthwhile initiatives. Underprivileged children across South Africa will be delighted to receive a gift this Christmas, due to the generous support of the thousands of bikers taking part,” says Charmaine van Wyk, spokesperson for Bakwena.
Although the focus tends to be on the thousands of bikes filling up the road, the actual donations took place at the Hartbeespoort Holiday Resort, where approximately 5 000 bikers and other guests gathered.
“To accommodate this extraordinary number of motorbike riders, Bakwena made available a designated lane for the mass ride at two toll plazas along the N4 route.” says van Wyk.
A number of Toy Runs are held simultaneously across South Africa in different towns, with 20 or more different charities benefiting from the Pretoria Run alone.
This year, in addition to the soft toys the bikers normally donate which gets distributed between shelters and hospitals, participants were asked to donate items such as stationery and toiletries for the many orphanages that have been added to the list of recipients. “On behalf of the many young lives we will be helping this Christmas, Bakwena thanks all the bikers, the Pretoria Biking Council and everyone involved with organising the event for spreading the message of hope. We look forward to
seeing you all again in coming years,” concludes van Wyk.