Mon May 21 18:59:37 SAST 2012
Mon May 21 18:59:37 SAST 2012

Biking queen does it for sisters' cause

Aug 23, 2010 | Molebogeng Tladi | 3 comments

Sepei Mashugane, straddling a Harley-Davidson, rode close to 5,400km to highlight the Pro-Choice pregnancy campaign

 Every nine minutes, a woman dies of pregnancy-related complications 

 

SEPEI Mashugane has completed her "one in nine" motorcycle ride.

The self-proclaimed Biker Queen departed from Harley-Davidson headquarters in Sandton more than a week ago for the nine-day motorcycle road trip across all nine provinces in South Africa.

"We did not make a lot of money because corporates are still recovering from the 2010 World Cup," she said. "But the tour was a success because more people became aware of and awakened to the campaign."

Riding for the "one in nine" tour, Mashugane was raising funds for a Pro-choice campaign, a movement that aims to promote women's right to be able to plan their pregnancies and choose whether to have babies or not.

The "one in nine" name comes from statistics that show every nine minutes a woman dies of pregnancy-related complications.

Mashugane said the ride went well and they created a lot of awareness for Pro-choice. She said the reception they got in all nine provinces was nice.

They had a great experience in Nelspruit when 40 female traffic officers set up a roadblock for the campaign and informed motorists of the campaign.

Mashugane said that being a single mother of two children, Pro-choice was something very close to her heart.

"For me it's basically about riding for the choices of women."

She said incidents of babies being dumped on the street was caused by the fact that the mothers of these babies had had no choice in the matter.

Mashugane is no stranger to long-distance motorbike riding. Last year she raised R350,000 for the People Opposing Women Abuse campaign, highlighting that one out of every nine women have been abused.

Mashugane, straddling a 1584cc Harley-Davidson, rode with three other members of her biker group and covered close to 5,400km.

She said that people could still support the Pro-choice campaign by SMSing BIKE to 36997. She said the campaign would end with Women's Month, when they would auction a Harley-Davidson 889 and the proceeds would go to the Biker Queen Charity.

 

Comments

Mon May 21 18:59:37 SAST 2012 ::
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Aug 23, 2010

Paris

big ups to all the woman who are making a difference out there, mrs Mashugane our country would be a better place with more people like you

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Aug 23, 2010

LadySkroof

big ups SIS. keep up the good work
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Aug 25, 2010

Majori

What will Mzansi be without people like you Sisi. Thank you this is appreciated by all South Africans and the rest of the World.
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