On September 24th each year, we South African Slingers celebrate a holiday known as Heritage Day or “National Braai Day”. It’s a day on which South Africans across the country unite for a common good, to celebrate our diversity and the cultural wealth of our nation. Heritage Day plays an important role in promoting cultural diversity, social cohesion and reconciliation.
In a country with 11 different official languages (soon to be 12, once sign language is officially accepted!), Heritage Day is celebrated differently depending upon culture and region. In Kwazulu-Natal, the day is used to commemorate King Shaka Zulu’s assumed date of death, which is why locals call it “Shaka Day”. Others, like in Cape Town, most likely celebrate it near the beach, as Heritage Day follows the much-anticipated Spring Day and turn of summer. However, whether you call it a braai, BBQ or Shisa Nyama, most South Africans spend it around a fire with their friends and family, much like how Jan Braai, the man behind the “National Braai Day” initiative, intended.
This year, the team at Sling Cycles celebrated Heritage Day 2021 by doing what we do best – living the Sling lifestyle of adventure and freedom. We broke free of COVID restrictions, flew around the country anti-clockwise, took our Sling Cycles Tagati bikes and rode in each of the 9 South African provinces in 3 days! The mission began at 05h45 Friday morning and ended upon our return to Tedderfield on Sunday evening.
Our first model is a gravel beauty known as the “Tagati” (or more correctly “Umthakathi” – the mixer of medicines). This provided the perfect platform for an adventure of this kind. The legendary Sling TSi took two large-frame Tagati bikes in the rear, and James Pitman and Branko Brkljac upfront. Accompanying them in the Sling High Wing prototype was the Sling Aircraft factory test pilot, Sean Russell, and music producer and filmmaker, Lloyd Ross.
Apart from riding bicycles, the guys immersed themselves in the beauty of South Africa’s geography and the spirit of its people.
