Helen Zille “Better Together cycle tour.”
Text by Sue van der Gaast, Pictures by Christy Strever
On Sunday the 17th of June amidst much excitement Helen Zille arrived in Plettenberg Bay to start the first leg of the Plett to Kayalitsha “Better Together cycle tour.
The “Better Together” tour from Plettenberg Bay to Kayalitsha is a great initiative encouraging bicycles as the preferred mode of transport in the Western Cape for all, from school children to health workers, police forums and so on giving many access to jobs and schools.
To greet the Premier of the Western Cape were Plettenberg Bay Mayor Memory Booysens , Deputy Mayor Adam van Rhyner, Minister of Education Donald Grant, Minister of Sport Dr Ivan Meyer and other cabinet ministers and supporters . Also at the Shell Garage in Plett were the Bicycle Empowerment Network, and Cycling SA and staff. Premier Zille posed for photos and then the large group set off on the first leg of this great initiative, first stop the New Horizons Library to hand out the first lot of bicycles.
Zille explains, “Better Together is about opportunities and responsibility. We, as the government, have the duty to provide opportunities for citizens to improve their circumstances and empower themselves so they can live lives they value while citizens have the responsibility to make use of those opportunities and make the effort to improve their lives and those of others.”
The “Better Together” Bicycle Tour ends on Thursday the 21st of June 2012.