17th November 2013

The route of the 2013 Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge starts in the north, follows past historic landmarks in the city centre, winds through green suburbia before the long haul on the N14 and then back into the Waterfall Country Estate, once again providing a fitting end to a challenging ride!

An uphill start on Woodmead Drive, past Makro and the Woodmead Retail Park and then right onto the M1 South – experience full road closures on the highway!

 The route takes a left turn off of the highway at Joe Slovo road, circumventing the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital. Cyclists will smile as they don’t have to climb the long drag up to the St Andrews off ramp. The route continues through Hillbrow, past the infamous Ponte, down a welcome but fast downhill, through Jeppestown and then onto the M2 travelling westward.

The first important landmark cyclists encounter in the city centre is Gandhi Square, which came about when Van der Byl Square, the old bus terminal was revamped. This bus terminus was erected after 1940 when law courts where Gandhi once worked were demolished.

Leaving the city centre for another trip along the M2 East and then the M1 South, the cyclists use the Carr Street off ramp to reach Newtown, possibly the most frequently “renewed” portion of the city!

One of the most spectacular aspects of Newtown's urban renewal is the Nelson Mandela Bridge. At 284 metres long, this is the largest cable-stayed bridge structure in southern Africa. The bridge crosses 40 railway lines and was built to link Braamfontein and Newtown. If you look to the left from Mandela Bridge, you will see the Bricksfield Housing Project, a mixed income housing development.

Many more places of interest can be found along the Cycle Challenge route through Parktown, Randburg and Honeydew, but one that may enjoy more attention as “green” themes grain prominence is the Total Petroport Biodiversity Park along the N14. Although a filling station was clearly needed in the area, closer inspection revealed astonishing biodiversity in this particular portion of Nietgedacht, and Total then agreed to create a sanctuary to protect this dwindling resource. One of the more interesting residents of the park is the near-threatened Giant Bullfrog. This park is managed as a self-sustaining nature reserve, with no irrigation, chemical pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers… perfect for Bullfrogs!

 If you would like to participate in the charity bond and help us raise some funds - please contact Candice on 011 444 7730 / -email-

spcasanpr@mweb.co.za 

The Sandton SPCA / Hill’s Mutt Walk is a family-friendly 5km awareness fun walk for animal lovers and their dogs - enjoy an outing with the four legged family members whilst helping the Sandton SPCA to continue their vital animal welfare and educational work.

Debbie Last from Hill’s Pet Nutrition says her team thoroughly enjoy being part of the event, especially the interaction with hundreds of fellow dog lovers, “We love this event as it gives people the opportunity to spend quality time with their pets and, at the same time, raises funds for the SPCA. Our mission at Hill’s is to help enrich and lengthen the special relationship between people and their pets; MuttWalk is a great way of doing just that.”

The cost per entry is R 60 per adult, R 30 per child and R 20 per dog, with all profits going directly to the Sandton SPCA.   The canine entrants will each receive a bandana and the first 500 people to enter will each receive a ‘doggie’ (goodie) bag sponsored by Hill’s.  For those of you who don’t have a dog of your own, you are still welcome to join the walk; there will also be balloon dogs on sale, supplied by Daffodil Concepts, to walk for just R 35 (with a percentage going to the Sandton SPCA).

The route will feature water stations for both people and their pooches to cool down along the way, as well as a good selection of food stalls. Sandton SPCA / Hill’s Mutt Walk will also be hosting lucky draws and children’s entertainment at the Start/Finish.  The Hill’s team will be on hand to answer your pet nutrition questions and the Sandton SPCA’s Mobile Clinic will be there to provide animal first aid. Petsure South Africa has also sponsored all the dogs participating in the walk, free insurance for the duration of the walk from start to finish.

Participants should pre-register for the event (to secure your booking) though ‘walk-in’ registrations may be taken on the day of the event, if it is not over-subscribed.  To enter please contact the Sandton SPCA for a registration form (email spcasanpr@mweb.co.za or call 011 444 7730) as soon as possible to secure your place on the day.

For more information on the Sandton SPCA / Hill’s MuttWalk please visit www.sandtonspca.org.za or email spcasanpr@mweb.co.za, call 011 444 7730 or follow us on Facebook for regular updates www.facebook.com/MuttWalk.

On Saturday, 3 November, over 250 Alexandra animals were treated for free at the Sandton & Eastern Metro Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ (SPCA) second Mobile Clinic Day.

The Mobile Clinic Day was held at Carter Primary School in Alexandra, in collaboration with Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots Institute of SA and Women and Men against Child Abuse (WMACA).  It was the culmination of a Care of Domestic Animals in My Community Programme run for a group of Grade 7 learners at Carter Primary.

The vast majority of animals were brought to the clinic by children. Dogs were sprayed, vaccinated (to prevent rabies), de-wormed, bathed and given general medical treatment. Courtesy of the volunteers working on the day, each animal was given a collar and lead, and a packet of dog (or cat) food.  Volunteers had the opportunity to engage with the children about their animals and animal care.  A key objective of the day was an ongoing education campaign to promote the sterilization of animals.  Free sterilizations were offered to those who agreed to sign-up their animals for sterilization at the Sandton SPCA.

“The children of Alexandra Township are the true ambassadors in the community with regards to animal welfare.  That’s why we are so focused on developing our youth volunteer programme,” said Brenton Booth, Chairperson of the Sandton SPCA, “and partnerships with schools and NGOs that work with children are natural alliances”.  “Animal ownership creates responsibility with the youth and our investment in educating the youth will pay benefits in preventing cruelty to animals,” said Booth.  “We encourage people to get involved with our programme in some way. 

The benefits to the community are enormous and the personal rewards for our volunteers considerable,” he stated.

Booth adds that volunteers are needed to assist on the day.  “We also need funding for sprays, vaccinations, collars, leads and food or donations of these items.  We are looking for individuals who would like to get involved in Mobile Clinic Days, but also companies who would like to use this special opportunity to get involved in the community, working in Alexandra,” he concluded.

It costs the Sandton SPCA up to R30 000 each month to feed the animals in their care, a sterilization costs an average of R250 and a Mobile Day Clinic Day costs R20 000.

For photos of the day, visit the SPCA Facebook www.facebook.com/Sandton

SPCA Members of the community who would like to get involved in future Mobile Clinic Days in Alexandra, can contact Teresa Guzman, Volunteers Director, Sandton SPCA on 011 447 9312.

NOTE TO EDITORS:
The Sandton & EM SPCA is situated in 9th Street Marlboro Gardens, Johannesburg, South Africa.  Our mission is the prevention of cruelty to animals.  The Sandton & EM SPCA is one of over 90 societies in South Africa today.  Each society is fully autonomous, having its own Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) number, operating in its own constitutional district and taking full responsibility for its own affairs.  Each SPCA is a member of the National Councils of SPCAs (NSPCA) and is bound by the rules of the SPCA Act No. 169 of 1993.

For more information, contact:

Charlotte Levin

General Manager – Sandton SPCA

011 444-7730

Come and help us celebrate the launch of the SPCA 2013 Calendar,
featuring beautiful photographs of Forever Homed SPCA dogs and cats
by professional photographer Emma O’Brien.

Our 2012 Calendar was a fantastic success and we’d like to achieve
much more with the 2013 edition with your support!