SUN-CITY and other neighbouring areas welcomes the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) event to SA soil.
It debuts from May 19 to 24, Sun City resort, North West province.
Now, for the first time since 1992, South Africa will host an international rally on a scale that will match the legendary Dakar Rally.
The scenic diversity of the South African Safari Rally will see it stand out from the more common desert terrain that fans have become used to in W2RC rallies, and will become a global favourite and a must-attend event for fans from all over the world.
In 2024, minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, was over-joyed when he announced news to motor-sport enthusiasts and South Africans, this much loved event will take place in mzansi.
“This event is going to boost tourism for South Africa, boost women in racing, generate income to grow the sport in South Africa, help to create jobs in rural areas and put the country back on the map for global motorsport.
In our quest to secure the return of Formula One, a successful Safari Rally will only help to strengthen our burgeoning relationship with the FIA,” said the Minister, adding that he was encouraged by the positivity shown by world motorsport’s governing body towards South Africa.
The Minister recognised that South Africa has one of the best, if not the best, local Rally-Raid Championships in the world, which played a big role in giving W2RC confidence to bring the global showpiece to these shores.
“We stand ready to support the Safari Rally to deliver a world-class event for fans, sponsors, broadcasters and the racing community at large, because we are aware that this is a massive event that will require great commitment and all hands-on deck to pull off perfectly – which we will,” he was quoted.
The new round of the W2RC is based at Sun City, in the foothills of the Pilanesberg National Park and features 1,218 competitive kilometres in a route of 2,645km.
The nine-kilometre Prologue to determine the starting order for the opening stage will be held on Monday, May 19th to the west of Sun City.
Teams will then tackle a stage of 262km on Tuesday, May 20th to the southwest of Sun City that loops through off-road terrain to the east of Lichtenburg (a town that is a drive from my village Ganalaagte) and crosses sand tracks and agricultural farmland.
Stage two (352km) forms the first part of the two-day Marathon stage and sees crews leaving Sun City en route for a Marathon bivouac in Stella.
The first part runs through Barberspan’s open savannah and an off-piste section to the bivouac, where accurate navigation will be key. Barberspan is globally celebrated for bird-watching and a walking distance to Ganalaagte and other near-by villages.
The second section of 253km heads north of Stella to finish close to the frontier with Botswana after faster sections and more tricky navigation.
The fourth and penultimate stage on Friday, May 23rd runs for 224km along remote tracks close to the frontier with Botswana and the towns of Dinokana and Skilpadshek, to the far west of Sun City.
The stage features technical bushveld with rocky and demanding mountain sections.
The final stage of 118km on Saturday, May 24th loops through open farmland with choking red dust to the southeast of Sun City.
One would have expected the Government of North West province to be part of this historical event, from tourism and sport perspective, alas not.
