Cycling South Africa’s coopted member on the Executive Committee, Charles Beukes, is appealing to the public for information from historically disadvantaged cycling competitors in order to recognise their achievements from the apartheid past with a special award.
The criteria for the award of honorary colours were agreed upon by the representatives of the two ex SACOS bodies – the SA Cycling Board, which was led by Beukes and ex University Johannesburg vice Chancellor Ihron Rensburg as presidents at various times – and the SA Cycling Association that was led by the late Japie Green, Peter Pieterse and Edgar Rhoda.
The rationale and aims of these honorary cycling awards were laid out in 2016 where a concerted effort was made to recognise South Africa’s past heroes during the apartheid era by the Recognition Committee.
“Having served as administrator and media reporter, in both the SACA and SACB, I could source information on cyclists from these bodies,” said Beukes. “The big challenge however was [and still is] to gather information of cyclists who competed under the SA Athletics and Cycling association [Black] especially up North on the Mines and who would meet the criteria, agreed upon i.e. having been a national champion or having held a national record.
“Sources of information like newspaper reports and articles, meeting brochures, results sheets, minutes etc. could not be found and the approach is now to find individuals that were involved in cycling and would hopefully be able to obtain such supportive information,” said Beukes.
Information can be sent to Secretary General Gregory van Heerden at secretarygeneral@cyclingsa.com.
Photo credit: Cycling Memoirs Facebook Page
