Limpopo BikersLivesMatter (BLM) host an awareness campaign to raise funds aimed at assisting bikers who are disabled due to biking accidents.

This comes as UNESCO marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities with a week-long programme that started on 25 November and runs until today the 3rd December under the theme: “Building back better: towards an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 world by, for and with persons with disabilities”.

In South Africa’s Limpopo province, an event was held in late November supporting the theme and aimed at raising funds for disabled motorbike riders. It was also organised to make bikers aware of additional safety equipment and protective gear to save their lives in an accident.

Event organiser Belinda Sikwane said riders of smaller bikes in particular are in real danger.

“We going to raise funds and do awareness campaign for delivery scooters which most prominent fast food outlets are using to deliver products and their drivers don’t wear proper gear to ride the scooters. I don’t know is due to drivers’ ignorance or their employers but they must wear accordingly,” she said.

The organisation was founded by J. Gwangwandza in Johannesburg last year and has representative across 9 provinces of South Africa. #BikersLivesMatter is an ‘initiative meant to ensure that Bikers are Heard, Bikers are Seen and Bikers are Respected on the public roads’ according to the organisation Facebook account.

“It takes care of the needs of the bikers especially when the accident occurs because we lose lots of bikers’ year in year out. Where life is lost and they are falsely accused because there is no one who can stand up for them, We help them with court cases the organisation stand up for such families were one lost their lives by finding remuneration after someone passed on and find medical assistance for the survivor,” Sikwane said.

She said they would donate protective equipment to motorbikers and raise money for those who are in wheechairs or require prosthetics.

“Being a disability month we are saying to those who are disable due to bikes you are not alone, we are aware that you are there and you were not born like that, so we can do something to at least try to help those who can still regain their lives,” she said.

“We do fund raising because there are those who have lost their legs, hands or fingers in bike accident … they need to be taken care off and that is where BikersLivesMatter comes in,” said the organiser.

Told my family the other day, there are so many things I love, have experienced and seen. Kodwa the day my coffin goes down please don’t sing make sure the loudest M109R is revving away. This is how I lived and this is what I love. pic.twitter.com/jcnoQlCgAq

— ConnieM (@ConnieM_Makho) November 29, 2020

She said #GLM is hoping hoping to raise over a million rand which will go a long way towards supporting Limpopo riders who have fallen on hard times.

“You might have old gear and donate it to us because there are people you are in need,” she said.

“We also asking people to donate to the disabled who have lost their limbs and are sitting on the wheelchairs – and some of those wheelchairs are worn out and the money we are going to be collecting from fund raising will go to such people. It will go in renewing those wheelchairs and to those who need artificial legs,” said Sikwane.

– Health-e News