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First Bicycle Empowerment Centre in Gauteng,Soweto


I_Cycle_Jozi

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Fellow Hubbers

 

I am the organiser for the Joburg Freedom Ride and we are working a new project in an attempt to promote cycling in Johannesburg and in creating jobs, and we need you help to make this possible.

 

The project is the establishment of the first Bicycle Empowerment Centre (BEC) in Gauteng. The project was made possible through the donations made to the first two Freedom Rides. The BEC is a fully functional bicycle workshop with which offers sales of cheap second hand bicycles and spares, repairs, community training and training of the Schools Shova Kalula kids.

 

The mechanics running the workshop were identified in the community as enthusiastic cyclists with basic mechanical skills. They were sent to Cape Town for professional training in Finances and in Bicycle Mechanics. They have now returned with two certificate qualifications and are excited to run their own business.

 

We are looking for any kind donations of old second hand bicycles, parts, spares, tools (toolkits and bike stand) and anything else you may have lying around that could be useful.

 

I have attached a document summarising the project and the progress we have made thus far.

 

I look forward to hearing back from you.

Bicycle Empowerment Network report.pdf

Edited by M.Suleman
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Thanks @Pieterg! If this BEC is a success we will be establishing many more in Gauteng and elsewhere. 14 of these BEC's have already been established in the Western Cape.

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Awesome stuff bro! Got some stuff lying around in garage.

 

Good luck, I think it's awesome that you guys are trying to promote cycling in the less advantaged area's.

 

Also, maybe you should remove your contact details from here and rather PM it to people if they want it, having it like this on the forum can attract spammers and scammers.

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Call me jaded or any other term - I'm past caring!

 

But, what oversight is in place to ensure these initiatives remain on the up and up.

What is to prevent these from becoming a fence / chop-shop for all the bikes that just go missing out there.

 

I ask cos it's very much on my mind as to where & how my bikes just vanished into the ether?

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Whats news on the October Ride? Would love to join that one as we were away for the Joburg one.

 

The Tshwane ride will be in October, it is being called the Tshwane Green Ride and follows the same ideas of the Freedom Ride. Last I heard it is scheduled for Saturday 25 October 2014. We are assisting the organisers in whatever way we can but they have their own team of organisers, therefore I am not sure about registration processes etc.

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Call me jaded or any other term - I'm past caring!

 

But, what oversight is in place to ensure these initiatives remain on the up and up.

What is to prevent these from becoming a fence / chop-shop for all the bikes that just go missing out there.

 

I ask cos it's very much on my mind as to where & how my bikes just vanished into the ether?

 

Firstly,I have no idea where and how you bikes vanished, but I am sorry to hear that, who did you donate them to?

 

The idea of the BEC's is not new, as I mentioned,14 have been set up in the Western Cape, you can find out more at www.benbikes.org.za. Once setup, the BEC's run as their own business but we will oversee all their actions, eg. buying of stock, spares, sales, income and expenses, training programmes, book-keeping,etc. Additionally we will visit the facility twice monthly and meet with the managers at the end of each month, thus maintaining a good relationship with them.

 

The managers are as well required to sign a BEN contract agreement which binds them to certain terms and conditions regarding the running of the business.

 

I hope this answers your questions and if you have any suggestions for us, please share.

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To be clear, My bikes were stolen from my garage. Nothing else, just the bikes.

Along with all the other bikes listed on this site as stolen/hijacked, that just seem to vanish and we never seem to hear of these bikes being recovered.

 

Clearly there are organised groups making these bikes vanish without a trace.

And it wouldn't be any good if your initiative becomes involved in recycling stolen bikes as parts or stripping and shipping them across the borders.

 

Nothing like hiding in plain sight.

We all know scrap metal dealing is dirty & facilitates cable theft.

 

Good to see there will be oversight - but I suggest there be very strong vigilance/audits to make sure these are not used directly or inadvertently to facilitate anything illicit.

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Thanks for that input. I am really sorry to hear about your bikes, and I assure you that this initiative will not in anyway become involved in illicit activities. The initiative is as well in partnership with the City of Joburg and Gauteng Province Department of Roads and Transport.

 

We will definitely ensure that there are very strong vigilance and audits around the BEC. We are currently in contact with FNB, Nedbank and Ernst&Young in an attempt to organise mentoring and auditing for the two BEC managers.If you have any ideas or suggestions on who else we could approach please let us know. As the project is based on sponsorhips and funding we do not have funding for such mentors and are thus looking for voluntary work or the correct funding to finance such a mentor.

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Didn't someone mention that as soon as something like this was implemented in the Cape, the amount of thefts increased..

 

I Good initiative, just hoping it doesn't bode true here as well.

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From what I know about these projects in Cape Town, They have had a positive impact on the communities. Here is a rather well compiled video which I believe will provide some clarity with regards to BEN and the puropose of these BEC's.

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Howsit people. Here is an update on the Orlando BEC. 

 

The containers have been fitted with security gates and locks both inside and outside.

post-18378-0-81025400-1411653128_thumb.jpgpost-18378-0-83624700-1411653145_thumb.jpg

 

Sipho and Bekie have painted the containers in the Freedom Ride yellow.

post-18378-0-20852200-1411653165_thumb.jpg

 

We are now in the process of ordering tools and spares and getting the signboards for the BEC made.

 

The BEC will be launched officially during the NMT conference in October, the launch will be on the 23rd October. I will post more details regarding the launch.

 

Bekie and Sipho have as well marked out their very own KlipSpruit mtb trail, a really fun trail (jumps, dips) and they make sure to keep it clean. I will get some pictures of the trail and post it up and organise a day for them to take people on their trail. 

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Good work bro, glad to see it's all coming together. Maybe get some local graffiti artist to do so some 'cycle' related art on the containers. Will look really cool I think

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