The Zip Zap Circus School is celebrating their new 22-seater bus which will help them transport children from the townships to Zip Zap’s after-school circus programmes.
Their new bus became possible, through help from the Rotary Club of Claremont, the St Luke’s Combined Hospice, the Harry Crossley Foundation, and Jane and Peter Franzen from Germany.
Brent van Rensburg, Co-founder of Zip Zap, said they provide free transport to and from the workshops. “We were holding our buses together with what we had. They had broken down twice in five months, once on the day of a show with some of our children. The repairs were costing more than the vehicles were worth,” he said.
The St Luke’s Combined Hospice felt especially strongly about the new bus for Zip Zap, as some of their patients’ children attend the circus school.
Ronita Mahilall, chief executive officer of St Luke’s Combined Hospice and member of Rotary Club of Claremont, approached the club and the Harry Crossley Foundation and both organisations were happy to assist. “Zip Zap is an example of a largely self-sustaining organisation that is being proactive and innovative in generating multiple income streams to keep its projects running,” she says.
The Harry Crossley Foundation gave R250 000 toward the project.
Mphumzi Ngcikiza, transport manager and driver for Zip Zap, says the new bus makes him feel very happy. “ It is not only safer and more reliable than the previous one, but it is also bigger so that more children can be part of Zip Zap programmes,” he said.
Mr Van Rensburg says Zip Zap is really appreciative of this generous donation which will help get the kids to where they need to be.
