Celebrities commute for change
JOBURG – Celebrities gather to do their bit in saving the environment
CEOs and SA celebrities went EcoMobile on 21 October, for the WWF EcoMobility Challenge.
The Challenge is a WWF South Africa initiative held in association with the City of Johannesburg. It is to demonstrate the solutions available to tackle climate change all the while highlighting the benefits in shifting to public from private transport.
It saw teams of racers navigating a series of destination checkpoints across Johannesburg using only public transport, minibus taxi, or electric or non-motorised transport.
Kicking off at the WWF building in Braamfontein, Lisa Seftel, executive director for Department of Transport, opened the race.
The teams worked out clues which led them to Hector Pieterson Square, Orlando Stadium, Maponya Mall, ending at the Sanlam building in Sandton. Armed only with maps, public transport timetables and other tools to guide them.
Miss South Africa Liesl Laurie, admitted to not having ridden a bicycle in 10 years and that the day made her realise what she was missing.
Maps Maponyane, one of SA’s most-loved celebrities, also went EcoMobile in support of the cause and highlighted the benefits in shifting to public transport, which include less congestion, lower infrastructure costs, health benefits, and local economic development.
All racers agreed that the Challenge afforded them the opportunity to meet lots of similar-minded people and engage in a fun-filled day of laughter,while visiting parts of Joburg they would not otherwise have seen, or at least, had not visited in many years.
“It was a great way to see and explore the City from different perspectives,” said Maps Maponyane.
The winning team comprised of Graeme Stephens (CEO of Sun International), Liesl Laurie (Miss South Africa), Bongani Xakaza (South African National Energy Development Institute or Sanedi) and Innocent Nkosi (University of Johannsburg) who came out tops.
MMC of Transport, Councillor Christine Walters, concluded with an address at the awards ceremony and she said that although the group were from different cultures, different age groups, different academic and work backgrounds they were committed to one purpose, they displayed that they could lessen their carbon emission footprint.
