Fitness: Cycle for Change Spinathon on 13th September

Africa Meleane speaks to Liezel Van Der Westhuizen about the upcoming spinathon. The Cycle for Change spinathon is a dynamic event where fitness meets purpose. Join the action at the V&A Waterfront on 13 September 2025, where the goal is to raise R1.2 million in support of Velokhaya Cycling Academy in Khayelitsha and Songezo Cycling Academy in Masiphumelele.

Early Breakfast with Africa Melane is 702’s and CapeTalk’s early morning talk show. Experienced broadcaster Africa Melane brings you the early morning news, sports, business, and interviews politicians and analysts to help make sense of the world. He also enjoys chatting to guests in the lifestyle sphere and the Arts. All the interviews are podcasted for you to catch-up and listen. 
 
Thank you for listening to this podcast from Early Breakfast with Africa Melane 

 

For more about the show click  https://buff.ly/XHry7eQ and find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/XJ10LBU 
 
Listen live on weekdays between 04:00 and 06:00 (SA Time) to the Early Breakfast with Africa Melane broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3N 
 
Subscribe to the 702 and CapeTalk daily and weekly newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfetc 
 
Follow us on social media: 
 
702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 
702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 
702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 
702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702 
702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 

 
CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk 
CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk 
CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ 
CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk 
CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Wake up.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
It's your only breakfast with Africa.

Speaker 3 (00:04):
Milani are we're talking about the inaugural Cycle for Change
spinethon that lithl fanavests and has all the details off.

Speaker 1 (00:10):
Good morning, Good morning Africa. Did you have a good weekend?

Speaker 3 (00:12):
I did, thank you very much.

Speaker 1 (00:13):
I was your It was a good one. Well, not
a great sporting weekend, but the rest was great.

Speaker 3 (00:18):
Yeah. We also lost the cricket, by.

Speaker 1 (00:19):
The way, I know, and a whole lot of other.

Speaker 3 (00:21):
Things, so apparently also it's not a good weekend.

Speaker 1 (00:26):
But that's okay.

Speaker 4 (00:27):
Let's talk about something really feel good and it's called
the Cycle for Change and it's the inaugurl spinathon hosted
by Matrix Fitness, happening on the thirteenth of September at
Workshop seventeen in the VNA Waterfront, and the goal is
to raise one point two million ran for Villacaia Cycling
Academy and kaile Lecher and song Geza's Cycling Academy and
Massipomalela and both those academies are incredible with the opportunities

(00:51):
that they provide the youth in their communities much needed
recreational activities, exposing them only not only to cycling to fitness,
but also to things like bicycle maintenance, general life skills,
support with their education to help them in future roles
in the labor market. So it's not just a cycling academy.

(01:11):
These two academies really do a lot in terms of
focusing on education, focusing on life skills.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
And it's incredible to.

Speaker 4 (01:18):
See a brand like Matrix coming and saying let's do
the spinathon. The funds will be used to upgrade cycling infrastructures,
including the installation of a Matrix. I see our fifty
limited edition bikes. Those are indoor stationary bikes, so it
gives the youngsters access to world class equipment. So on
rainy days when they can't head out on their bikes,
here is a full indoor spinning opportunity for them.

Speaker 1 (01:41):
And it's more than the spinethon.

Speaker 4 (01:43):
It's a movement designed to empower youth socially and athletically
through cycling programs. And I thought I'd get hold of
Zaid Managing Director of Johnson health Tech, who's the driving
force behind Matrix Fitness and this incredible spinathon to tell
us more.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
Hi, everyone, I'm Zaid Seliman, Managing director of Johnson Haltec,
South Africa, the team behind Matrix Fitness. I'm thrilled to
introduce Cycle for Change, our first ever Spinnaton, happening on
the thirteenth of September at Workshop seventeen at the Vina Waterfront.
This isn't just a fitness event. We're rallying corporate teams,

(02:23):
cycling enthusiasts and change makers to peddle with purpose and
raise one point two million Rand for Velocaya and Songezo
cycling academies. These academies don't just produce athletes, they build
futures from structured training and tutoring to mentorship and life skills.
They're transforming communities in kay Leicha and Massipomelele with upgraded

(02:48):
infrastructure and our Matrix ICR fifty limited edition bytes. We're
helping expand their facilities and deepen their impact. Cycle for
Change is about turning awayus interaction. Every team, every pedal
stroke powers long term change. We're also making sure that

(03:08):
you have fun. We have professional spin instructors, a live
DJ and Nick Lamini as one of our MC's. To
join the ride or sponsor a youth team, visit Cycle
for Change on Howler and to stay connected follow us
on our social media channels.

Speaker 4 (03:27):
That's a managing director of Johnson Health Techer who's a
driving force behind Matrix Fitness, who have put the cycles
on together for Villacaya Cycling Academy and Kaylei Cha Songezo
Cycling Academy in Massi and just these academies doing such
great work as mentioned and now being able to get
access to world class fitness equipment in their academy.

Speaker 1 (03:49):
It just opens a whole different world for them.

Speaker 3 (03:51):
Absolutely. Let's talk about Nicholas Lemine for a second. He
was referenced there. He'll be MCing. He's enjoyed great success
in the world of psycho has it not well?

Speaker 4 (04:00):
He started at Villacaia so Vellacai Life Cycling Academy to
the Tour de France. So it just shows the power
of these academies. It's not just taking kids and empowering
them with life skills. Here is someone that had the
opportunity to write in the Tour de France who did
incredibly well in Europe and it proves that talent from
the communities can reach global stages. And someone like that

(04:24):
who's a role model to inspire youngsters to dream bigger
shows that success is achievable with dedication, and those stories
illustrate that cycling contributes to academic and career growth, not
just athletic achievements. And it's great to have such an
elite cyclist so down to earth who is there as
a mentor, providing guidance, building both confidence and technical skills

(04:47):
in these youngsters, and public recognition with these stories just
show the value of reinvesting in these youth programs. And
he's not alone. There's so many great stories that come
out of Yeah as well. Son gezo Jim also wrote
on the global scale and that's what inspired him to
start his academy sty Hailing from Mussy, he wrote in Europe.
He's written incredibly well over the years and it's amazing

(05:11):
to see these two youngsters coming back because they're still young,
coming back and uplifting their community. So these are the
stories that need to be told and this is what
are our motivational Monday is all about those those local stories,
those hyper local stories we don't always hear about.

Speaker 3 (05:24):
It is a spinnaton. They aiming to raise one point
two million rand. How do we get involved?

Speaker 4 (05:29):
So you go to Hawler dot co dot Zeta, you
just type in a cycle for change. They've also got
Instagram page, TikTok, Facebook, Matrix, fitness essay, you'll be able
to find that they're there's ten riders to each corporate
team package to participate and those funds go go towards
the donations and then teams can also if you don't
feel like you want to ride, but your company wants

(05:50):
to sponsor. There's various academies from all over Cape Town,
and I know there's a few coming up from Joe
Burg who want to ride and are looking for sponsored teams.
So you feel that your company, no one in your
company wants to ride, or maybe you've got one and
you want to find a team of riders, the team
will put a group together for you. So it's all
about that team motivating. It's a great team building exercise,

(06:12):
all for a social cause and also just a great
public awareness and spotlight these youth programs what they do
and the incredible work that they do.

Speaker 1 (06:20):
And then riding as a team.

Speaker 4 (06:21):
It's just about team coasion in a corporate space, making
visible social impact and of course every pedal stroke count.
So whether you're going there for ten minutes on the
bike or your whole team is going to do an
hour or two together.

Speaker 1 (06:35):
It's just going to be a fun day. There's going
to be a live DJ.

Speaker 4 (06:38):
One of our DJ's DJ Yummy, who's the producer of
the Breakfast Show on KFM, so we're going to be there.
He's called DJ Yummy. Yes, I'm going to be there
with Nick on the stage to get people going. I
might even just lace up my cycling shoes. Lets Sezulu,
well known cyclist, done a number of KPE EPE, done

(07:00):
a number of Cape Town cycle tours, done a number
of nine for sevens, gave me a call on Friday
to say that she will be coming down. So we're
getting some big names coming to back this event, to
go out here and support and you know it's going
to be day of fun. A lot of people are
excited about nickbe being there. When we're on the shoot
to do some social shots, people are coming over for
photographs and now you've got access to a Twitter France

(07:22):
rider who is so down to earth and who can
tell you firsthand what great work these these academies do
in the community.

Speaker 3 (07:29):
Absolutely, it's all happening on the thirteenth of September, so
please go ahead, sign up. If not yourself as an individual,
sign up as a company and sponsor a team. If
you don't have enough people fit enough in your body,
do you have to.

Speaker 1 (07:44):
Be fit enough?

Speaker 4 (07:45):
You can just you can do five minutes, you can,
you can relay it, you can, and then you can
pick a team. There's a lot of local community clubs
and fitness clubs that are looking for sponsorship, so get
them to come and ride for your company.

Speaker 1 (07:57):
That's a great way to uplift Lizel.

Speaker 3 (08:00):
Thank you very much. What are you doing tomorrow? Do
you know?

Speaker 1 (08:03):
I did?

Speaker 4 (08:03):
I had it for a second and I've totally forgotten. Sorry,
it's in fun of me. You'll find it's Tuesday. We'll
find out.

Speaker 1 (08:10):
Sorry, Thanks Africa.

Speaker 3 (08:11):
That's for context. By the way, Lizel often has very
good ideas of what she'll be doing early next year
already on the show. That's how prepared this team member is.

Speaker 4 (08:23):
I have to be because there's so much great stories
and so many great things happening.

Speaker 1 (08:27):
So it is there.

Speaker 4 (08:28):
It has been prepped. But for the life of me,
I've just gone blank. It's Monday morning.

Speaker 3 (08:32):
Forgivinges Liso, Thank you very much. Liso fund essays and
back with us tomorrow morning. Once again. The Cycle for
Change Spinnaton is happening on the thirteenth of September. It's
going to be happening at the Vna Waterfront at Workshop seventeen.
They're aiming to raise one point two million ran for
Velo Kaya Cycling Academy in Kaylicha as well as sonyaz

(08:52):
Or Cycling Academy in Massi Pomelel