The South African cricket team are in New Zealand for a tour that includes three tests, three one-day and three Twenty20 internationals. Before those games take place, however, they'll do their bit to help the earthquake-stricken city of Christchurch.

The Proteas will play the Canterbury Wizards in a charity match at the Hagely Oval in Christchurch on Wednesday to raise funds for the city.

Proceeds from the match will be donated towards the costs of rebuilding cricket facilities in the city and will be pulled from the sold-out ticket sales and the players' autographed playing shirts, which will go up for auction.

"The Proteas were approached by Canterbury Cricket via New Zealand Cricket to take part in this fund-raising match in Christchurch," South African team manager Mohammed Moosajee said in a statement this week.

'A worthy cause'

"The players and management felt it was a worthy cause to support given that we are touring the country and that it is on the eve of the anniversary of the devastating earthquake that demolished the city," Moosajee said.

"Gary Kirsten will be participating in a Q and A luncheon prior to the match and the players will be giving away their signed playing shirts which will go up for auction to raise funds.

"We hope that the little bit that the South African cricket team is giving towards the cause will go a long way in restoring the spirit of cricket and the facilities in the city."

Although it is a charity match, the fixture will also serve as an important warm-up match for the Proteas, as they look to get their tour started on good footing.

'Important'

"It's obviously a warm-up match for us, but a very important one," Proteas all-rounder Albie Morkel said at a media briefing at the Basin Reserve.

"We want to start our tour on a high," Morkel said. "Even though we are playing against a state side, we are going to give it horns, we are going to try our best to win the game. It's a charity game, we all know what it is about, but we are going to go out there and really try to get our combinations right from game one."

Morkel made his ODI debut for South Africa in Wellington in 2004, on a forgettable tour for the Proteas in which they were thumped 5-1 in the six-match series. It's nearly a decade later, and Morkel has returned with an experienced mindset and spirited hopes as the young squad prepares to change its fortunes.

"My first tour was in 2004. It was a hard tour for the side. We lost the one-day games quite badly," said Morkel.

'It's good to be back'

"It's good to be back, almost 10 years later," Morkel said. "It's a very nice feeling and I'm experiencing New Zealand a bit, getting out of the hotel.

"It's very different from South Africa, especially weather-wise. It's pretty cold, wet and slippery, you have to adapt to every game, basically every game is a different challenge. We've got a young side here, so it's going to be interesting to see how quickly we can adapt to those conditions.

"Obviously New Zealand is a very tough side to beat in New Zealand, so we've got a big challenge ahead of us."

SAinfo reporter

The Villa Zest Boutique Hotel in the Cape Town suburb of Greenpoint has been voted the trendiest hotel in the world in the TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice 2012 Best Hotels Awards.

The Travellers' Choice awards honour the top hotels, beaches and travel destinations worldwide based on millions of "real and unbiased" opinions from TripAdvisor travellers.

The Villa Zest Boutique Hotel offers luxury accommodation and is ideally located just a kilometre away from the Cape Town CBD. It is also within walking distance of the world-renowned Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.

Table Mountain, the Cape Town International Conference Centre and the popular beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay are all in close proximity.

"An oasis of calm centrally located in Cape Town, the Villa Zest luxury accommodation in the Green Point suburb is perfectly placed to bring you everything the city has to offer," the hotel's website reads: "Palm-lined beaches, the vibrant business district, Table Mountain, and a variety of upmarket restaurants, cafes, bars and nightclubs ensuring guests an unforgettable experience."

The hotel offers a lounge that opens up into a balcony offering views of the V&A Waterfront, a quiet garden and pool area, a rooftop terrace offering 360° views of Cape Town, an object art gallery, and a media house that offers high-end technology and communications solutions to business travellers.

"The rooms at this Cape Town Boutique Hotel represent the ultimate fusion of style, luxury and comfort," says the website. "Each room is unique and has been individually decorated, with the greatest attention to detail, using only the finest furnishings and fittings."

The hotel is rated as "excellent" by 125 reviewers on the website, with 13 "good" and three "average" ratings. The majority of the reviews cite the hotel's good service and helpful staff as the reasons for the high ratings.

Comments include: "Excellent and great stay in Villa Zest", "Awesome little hotel", "This place is GREAT", "Oasis in the heart of the city", "outstanding customer service," "Modern design hotel and very helpful staff," "Fantastic hospitality and beautifully designed boutique hotel," "THE one & only in Cape Town," "Almost faultless. Staff were amazing," and "Best boutique hotel ever."

SAinfo reporter

The 2012 Vodacom Super Rugby season is fast approaching, and the Vodacom Bulls are preparing for the kick-off on the weekend of 24-25 February by using a pre-season match to raise money for matriculants to pursue tertiary education.

On Monday, the Blue Bulls Company announced a three-year partnership with the Polokwane Municipality aimed at generating funds for first-year students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The charity drive will begin at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on 11 February, when the Bulls take on the Toyota Cheetahs in a pre-season fixture.

The venue hosted four matches in the 2010 Fifa World Cup. That same year, the 41 733-seater stadium played host to a highly successful warm-up clash between the Bulls and Lions. Now the organisers are hoping for another big turnout from rugby fans for the clash against the Cheetahs.

'Inspire youngsters'

Blue Bulls Rugby Union Louis president Louis Nel said: "I think that the success of the Vodacom Bulls in the Vodacom Super Rugby competition, as well as the popularity of our players and franchise, will boost the Polokwane Municipality and inspire the youngsters to follow their dreams.

"We are proud to work in conjunction with Polokwane on an initiative that is dear to our hearts and we are confident that we will make a significant impact on the lives of our future leaders."

Polokwane Mayor Freddy Greaver said the Bulls set a trend of high standards and expectation when they played the Lions in the city, which has resulted in a demand for more by the rugby public in his municipality.

"The Vodacom Bulls have started a culture here in Polokwane, which continues to grow," reckoned Greaver.

'Loved and admired'

"The players are loved and admired by our rugby-starved residents, and after having experienced such a memorable game last year, they want more.

"I have no doubt this warm-up game will be a success and I'm grateful to the Blue Bulls Company for paving the way to a bright future for our young learners, most of whom are unable to afford tertiary education. I'm confident that this initiative will change the lives of many of our matriculants and result in success stories in the years to come."

Both the Bulls and Cheetahs are expected to field their strongest teams for the match on 11 February as both sets of players fine-tune their performances for the start of the Super Rugby season.

Not only will students benefit from the contest, the Blue Bulls Rugby Union amateur club in Limpopo will also be a beneficiary.

Golf Day

In addition, the Blue Bulls players have committed themselves to a Golf Day in conjunction with the Polokwane Municipality later in the year to raise additional bursary funds for learners.

Tickets for the game range from R80 behind the poles, to R100 for open stand tickets, to R120 for grandstand seats. They will be available at the stadium and through Computicket. Various hospitality opportunities will also be available in the impressive Skyboxes/suites.

Parking tickets will be on sale at Computicket for R20, while hospitality tickets will be sold from the stadium.

SAinfo reporter

12 January 2012

Johannesburg-born Masters winner Charl Schwartzel will take to the luxuriant lawns of the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club on Thursday to defend his title in the annual Joburg Open, an event co-hosted by the Sunshine and European Tours.

Schwartzel, the winner of the event in 2010 and 2011, will be looking to score a hat-trick in 2012.

Other past winners include Argentina's Ariel Canete, who won the inaugural event in 2007, South African Richard Sterne (2008) and Anders Hansen from Denmark (2009).

Among the big names hoping to lift the silverware this time round are two-time Major champion Retief Goosen and English golfers Robert Rock and David Howell.

Celebrating its sixth year, the tournament features over 200 professional and amateur golfers fighting it out to claim the trophy. It also boasts a total prize purse of €1.3-million (approximately R13.7-million), which is distributed among the players who make the cut. The cut is the top 65 players plus ties.

"The field will comprise 206 professionals and four amateurs," explained the City's director of events, Bongi Mokaba. "The amateurs are made up of the top amateur in the country, Brandon Stone, and three development players."

A platform for top amateurs

Including amateurs in the tournament is one of the best things about it, according to Mokaba. It enables players with low rankings to participate in a legitimate tournament and improve their game. "The tournament has allowed these golfers a platform to perform," she reckoned.

The event began with a Pro-Am on 11 January, with about 60 pros teaming up with amateurs, comprising politicians, business bigwigs and the like. Each four-ball included one pro and three amateurs, with two-time defending champion Schwartzel joining City mayor Parks Tau, Sunshine Tour Commissioner Selwyn Nathan, and Chief of the South African National Defence Force General Solly Shoke in a four-ball.

"The Joburg Open gives us an opportunity to showcase our facilities and position ourselves as a world-class golf hosting city with all the facilities that we have," said Mayor Tau. "We continuously need to find ways to position the city as a destination for all sorts of sporting events."

'Up to 10 000 spectators a day'

Having grown wildly in popularity since its inception, the Joburg Open now welcomes tens of thousands of spectators on to the course each year. "In good weather, there are up to 10 000 spectators a day," said Mokaba.

As to what can be expected weather-wise for the upcoming competition, she said there is a forecast for rain but that "we can't really predict yet what will happen". But even in cases of inclement weather, diehard fans are out with umbrellas and raincoats to follow their favourites.

Playing the tournament at the Royal allows the Open to be the only tournament locally to be simultaneously played on two courses, according to the Open’s website.

Golf course merger

The golf club came about as a result of a merger between the former Royal Johannesburg and Kensington clubs in 1998. It has since become known as one of the most prestigious courses in the country, with two courses: East and West.

"The size of the field is such that you need a 'double course', and the openness of the course allows organisers to deal with the capacity," Mokaba explained. "In terms of layout, the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club works perfectly for the tournament."

In addition to the main event and Pro-Am, an annual golf development clinic was held two days before the tournament at the Alexandra Driving Range. Here, professional golfers shared their skills and tricks of the trade with budding young players.

Tickets

Spectators can catch the action on the golf course from the front line, by attending any or all of the days of play. Tickets are on sale at the gate of the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club from 3 to 16 January; single tickets are R30, and a full event ticket, which covers all four days, is R80. Pensioners and children under the age of 16 can get in for free.

Parking at Huddle Park is included in the price of a ticket. For golf lovers who are unable to watch each swing, birdie and eagle in person, the tournament will be broadcast on DStv's Supersport 1 on all four days from 12:00 to 16:00.

Sponsors of the event include the City of Johannesburg, Bwired, Volvo and Legacy Hotels and Resorts. New sponsors this year are BMW, Investec, EOH and Primedia Outdoor.

Source: City of Johannesburg

South African Airways (SAA) will start flying non-stop from Johannesburg to Beijing, China, from January next year, in line with the carrier's strategy to expand its network to Asia.

The inaugural flight is scheduled to leave Johannesburg' OR Tambo International Airport on 31 January 2012, and is set to arrive in Beijing on 1 February. Travellers can already book for the flights through the SAA website and travel agents.

SAA will operate the route non-stop three times a week with its Airbus A340-600 long-haul aircraft, while flyers will be able to make use of the Air China Lounges in Beijing.

"SAA is most pleased to introduce non-stop flights to Beijing, China," said airline chief executive Siza Mzimela in a statement this week. "This new route is in line with SAA's strategy to expand its network to Asia, the fastest growing market in the world."

Comprehensive strategic partnership

China and South Africa established a comprehensive strategic partnership in August last year, entering into bilateral agreements for cooperation on in infrastructure construction, transportation, water resources utilisation, housing, health and education.

The introduction of non-stop flights between the two destinations promises to facilitate business and leisure travel between the two countries.

"Introducing direct flights between China and South Africa will promote tourism and trade, not only to South Africa, but also to all the Southern African Development Community and other African countries," said Mzimela.

"South Africa and neighbouring destinations such as Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe are already popular destinations for Chinese tourists."

Star Alliance partner

Beijing Capital International Airport is the main international airport serving Beijing, and is one of the busiest airports in the world. It is located 32 kilometres northeast of Beijing's city centre.

There are three terminals at the airport and SAA will operate in and out of terminal three, which is also the designated terminal for Star Alliance partners. SAA's operations at the Beijing airport will be handled by Air China, which like SAA, also belongs to the Star Alliance.

"Air China will also be code-sharing on the flight between Johannesburg and Beijing. SAA in turn will code share with Air China to and from Shanghai, with further destinations in China to follow in the near future," the statement added.

SAinfo reporter

A package of tips to help make your stay with us smoother.

A unique climate change observatory, the first of its kind in the world, focusing on bringing scientific information from around the globe to the public, is to be built in Cape Town by the International Polar Foundation.

The announcement, first reported by the SABC on Friday, was made last week at a function attended by Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco, who were in Durban for the UN climate change summit (COP 17).

Prince Albert is a patron of the Belgium-based International Polar Foundation (IPF), a non-profit organisation established in 2002 with the aim of "providing a novel interface between science and society". The IPF's last major project, completed in 2009, was the construction of a new research station - the world's first zero-emission research station - in Antarctica.

Interface between science and society

Its next major project is the Polaris Climate Change Observatory, which will be built in the heart of Cape Town's famous V&A Waterfront, on a jetty that will be specially developed, the IPF says on its website, "to offer visitors of all ages a striking experience as a path to sustainability.

"Featuring permanent and temporary exhibitions, outreach and education activities, spectacular ways of presenting climate facts and figures, highlighting new science and innovations, the Polaris Climate Change Observatory will confirm Cape Town and South Africa as world landmarks for climate action."

According to the IPF, Cape Town is the perfect location for this "new breed of science centre", and not only because of the city's geographical location as a gateway to the Southern Pole.

Scheduled to open in 2014, the first Polaris Climate Change Observatory will bring together "the ingenuity of one of Africa's premier cities with a revolutionary concept which will change the way visitors understand the world, the changing climate and ways in which humanity can take responsibility and make decisions for the future".

South Africa 'open to addressing issues'

Interviewed by the SABC last week, IPF vice-president Nighat Amin said that in South Africa there was both a "real need" and a "deep willingness to address the problems which are apparent everywhere".

Whereas there were too many vested interests at work in other countries, Amin said, when the IPF approached South Africa and Cape Town with the idea of the observatory, "we encountered so many people who were willing to talk to us and support the project that it just took off".

The Polaris observatory, says the IPF, "will be like no other place in the world today, by taking the visitor through the origins of the Earth right up to present day in a bid to put climate change into perspective.

"There has been so much said and done on climate change. The multiplicity of science interactions and conflicting stories have muddied the waters of public understanding on what is happening to the Earth and climate today, and the near future perspectives.

"The Polaris will demystify the climate change debate and give visitors the broad vision and understanding they need to make decisions about their own future."

At the same time, the observatory will also serve as a reference centre for "all stakeholders ... to exchange knowledge and share initiatives related to mitigation and adaptation to global warming."

Giant floating tabular iceberg

The spectacular, 3 000 square metre observatory building - resembling a giant tabular iceberg floating on a large pool of water - will feature a permanent exhibition using two powerful symbols to represent climate change.

The first will be an Earth globe acting as the focal point around which visitors will revolve during their visit, and serving as a 3D screen for visualizing key concepts.

The second will be a "giant ice core, through the heart of which will run a transparent spiral staircase ... Ice cores are the repositories of Earth's climatic history, going back up to 800 000 years," the IPF says. "While descending the staircase, visitors will be presented with a summary of the various climatic periods."

The permament exhibition will be divided in eight "forums" through which visitors will "get to know Earth's climate system, and their personal relation to climate."

Complementing the permanent exhibition, the observatory will also feature a full educational programme for schools, "with dedicated workshops and temporary exhibitions spaces for various science, technology or sociology related solutions towards a low-carbon society".

SAinfo reporter

It went far into overtime, but the UN climate summit hosted and steered by South Africa finally delivered the deal the world has been waiting for - a clear pathway to a legally binding instrument that will compel all countries, including the biggest polluters, to take action to slow the pace of global warming.

The package of agreements making up the "Durban Platform" also include a new commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol, the launch of the Green Climate Fund, and the implementation of the agreements made in Cancun, Mexico in 2010.

Marathon negotiating session

The successful conclusion of the awkwardly named 17th Conference of the Parties (COP 17) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) came after a marathon, often fractious, three-night negotiating session in Durban's International Convention Centre.

It was well after sunrise in the South African coastal city on Sunday that the conference president, Maite Koana-Mashabane, brought the gavel down on the last of the decisions comprising the Durban Platform - to the relief of the remaining bleary-eyed participants.

"We have taken crucial steps forward for the common good and the global citizenry today. I believe that what we have achieved in Durban will play a central role in saving tomorrow, today," said Nkoana-Mashabane, South Africa's minister of international relations and cooperation.

Praise for South Africa's leadership

"I salute the countries who made this agreement," said UNFCCC executive secretary Christiana Figueres. "They have all laid aside some cherished objectives of their own to meet a common purpose - a long-term solution to climate change.

"I sincerely thank the South African presidency, who steered through a long and intense conference to a historic agreement that has met all major issues."

The UNFCCC said in a statement that the countries meeting in Durban had "delivered a breakthrough on the future of the international community's response to climate change, while recognizing the urgent need to raise their collective level of ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to keep the average global temperature rise below two degrees Celsius."

Pathway to a universal legal agreement

For the first time, governments agreed to adopt a universal legal agreement on climate change - one that includes both rich developed countries like the US as well as developing giants such as China and India - to be decided on not later than 2015 and to come into force by 2020.

Work on this would begin immediately under a new group called the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action.

Governments, including 35 industrialised countries, also agreed a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol from 1 January 2013 - the current period expires on 31 December 2012.

To achieve rapid clarity, parties to the second period will turn their economy-wide targets into quantified emission-limitation or reduction objectives and submit them for review by 1 May 2012.

"This is highly significant because the Kyoto Protocol's accounting rules, mechanisms and markets [will] all remain in action as effective tools to leverage global climate action and as models to inform future agreements," Figueres said.

'Common but differentiated responsibilities'

Also agreed on in Durban was an advanced framework for reporting emission reductions that covers both developed and developing countries while taking into account the principle - something developing countries had been pushing hard for - of "common but differentiated responsibilities" of different countries.

In addition to charting the way forward for reducing greenhouse gases in the global context, governments meeting in South Africa agreed the full implementation of the package - agreed to in Cancun, Mexico in 2010 - to help developing nations adapt to and mitigate the worst effect of climate change.

"This means that urgent support for the developing world, especially for the poorest and most vulnerable to adapt to climate change, will also be launched on time," Figueres said.

Assistance, funding for developing countries

The package includes the Green Climate Fund, an Adaptation Committee designed to improve the coordination of adaptation actions on a global scale, and a Technology Mechanism, all of which will become fully operational in 2012.

At the same time, the governments "acknowledged the urgent concern that the current sum of pledges to cut emissions both from developed and developing countries is not high enough to keep the global average temperature rise below two degrees Celsius," the UNFCCC said.

"They therefore decided that the UN Climate Change process shall increase ambition to act and will be led by the climate science in the IPCC's [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's] Fifth Assessment Report and the global Review from 2013-2015."

Figueres said that, while these deadlines still had to be met, "countries, citizens and businesses who have been behind the rising global wave of climate action can now push ahead confidently, knowing that Durban has lit up a broader highway to a low-emission, climate-resilient future."

The next major UN climate summt, COP 18, will take place in Qatar, in close cooperation with the Republic of Korea, from 26 November to 7 December 2012.

SAinfo reporter

Over 8 500 solar geysers were installed across South Africa during the two-week UN climate summit (COP 17), surpassing the initial target of 8 000, says Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel.

Another major success of the campaign was recorded in KwaZulu-Natal, where more than 500 systems were installed in households since the start of the climate conference, thanks to pledges made by individuals and companies.

At the start of the conference last week, the Department of Economic Development, the Industrial Development Cooperation and Eskom invited the public and business to pledge towards the solar geyser campaign.

The initiative raised R685 000 to install 510 solar water heaters in Groutville, north of the city.

"This is a resounding success, it shows the opportunities that are there in the green economy, and I think COP 17 has brought about a new thinking amongst many of us in terms of our approach to the green economy," Patel said.

"With the contribution from companies, unions and individuals we can step up the rate of installation and show the value of broader solidarity across society to grow jobs and improve the lives of our people."

To date, the total number of solar geysers installed throughout the country is estimated at 211 000, with additional funding from Eskom's rebates system for solar water heaters.

Patel said it was important that South Africa take full advantage of the continent's hot temperatures and, in the process, relieve pressure on the national electricity grid.

The campaign would also ensure that government met its job creation target of 300 000 new jobs in the green economy.

Source: BuaNews

Chris Bathembu

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has called on delegates attending the UN Climate Change Conference in South Africa to retain the trust that was built in Cancun, Mexico last year.

"The trust that was rekindled in Cancun is still very fragile, and we call on all parties to retain the gains of the Mexico conference," Nkoana-Mashabane said after being elected COP 17 president on Monday morning.

She described the two-week talks, which began at the city's International Convention Centre on Monday, as signalling the "end of the line" for many pressing issues that were agreed on at COP 16 in Cancun in December last year.

The UN has confirmed that 192 parties from 191 countries have arrived in Durban for the the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP 17) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), with the total delegation put at just over 15 000.

"This conference needs to be aware that time is against us, a lot of people are looking at us to find solutions to the climate problems and we dare not fail them," she said.

As president of the Conference of the Parties (COP), Nkoana-Mashabane faces the tough task of having to bring the parties together in finding common agreements over the future of the Kyoto Protocol and how to finance adaptation and mitigation in developing countries.

The first commitment period of the 1997 treaty is coming to an end next year and developing countries are pushing for a second commitment period, but major economies, that include the United States and Japan, have so far refused to come to the table.

The European Union said it would commit to the new commitment to the Kyoto Protocol but had placed conditions on this, including the demand for a change in the framework of the convention.

The green light on both the Kyoto Protocol and the Green Climate Fund - Countries last year agreed to a start-up funding of US$100-million towards mitigation and adaptation programmes - is expected when ministers and heads of state arrive at the conference.

Source: BuaNews

It is difficult to appreciate the enormity of the challenge facing the Imperial Toyota South Africa Team and the other competitors in the annual Dakar Rally, which takes place in South America in January.

From 1 January to 15 January, the 465 drivers and riders entered for the 33rd edition of the world's longest and toughest motor race will compete against each other over a total distance of some 8 300 kilometres - from the Argentine coastal resort city of Mar del Plata, over the Andes Mountains, into Chile, and to the finish in Lima, the capital of Peru.

Apart from a rest day on 8 January in Copiapo, in the heart of Chile's Atacama Desert, the participants will be competing every day.

Among the 171 cars entered (there are also 185 motorcycles, 76 trucks and 33 quads) will be Toyota Motorsport's two Toyota Hilux V8 double cab pickups, backed by Imperial Toyota, Duxbury Netgear and the Innovation Group and crewed by 2009 Dakar Rally winner Giniel de Villiers and German co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz and four-time SA champion Duncan Vos and Rob Howie.

Liaison and link stages

The route consists of a combination of liaison or link stages and timed special stages. The link stages, totalling some 4 100 km, follow the normal road network, which the competitors must take to reach the start of the special stage, or the overnight bivouac once the special stage has been completed.

The 14 daily special stages will cover some 4 200 km of racing in the toughest of conditions imaginable. They will encounter river crossings, narrow mountain tracks, camel grass, the white sand dunes of Fiambala in Argentina and Copiapo in Chile, volcanic grey sand dunes along the Andes Mountains, a high-altitude crossing of the Andes from Argentina into Chile at 4 700 metres above sea level, extreme temperatures as high as 45 degrees Centigrade in the dry and arid Atacama Desert in Chile, spectacular canyons and dry river beds.

The longest stage is stage nine, covering 557 km on 10 January, between Antofagasta and Iquique in Chile. The shortest is the 29 km final stage, stage 14, on 15 January between Pisco and Lima in Peru.

'It's a massive challenge'

"Most of the special stages are equivalent to a single round of the Absa South African Off Road Championship," observed Imperial Toyota team manager Glyn Hall. "It's a massive challenge, for the drivers and co-drivers, the vehicles and the support crew.

"While the competitors are tackling the daily stage the support crew, consisting of myself, the engineers and the technicians, will go straight to the end of the stage, where we will meet the cars as they complete the stage and debrief the crews. Once we reach the overnight bivouac and service area, the cars will be thoroughly checked and repairs made where necessary.

"While we try to get everybody into bed at a reasonable hour, problems encountered during the day's stage can result in late nights. Generally, the 20-man support crew is in for a five-hour service stint," explains Hall.

Daily requirements

The competitors are in the cars each day for anything from two-and-a-half to seven hours on the special stage, depending on the length and severity of the stage, and for up to 10 hours with the liaison section.

During the stage the cars are followed by support trucks, which carry essential spares and are allowed to render assistance during the race. This is the only outside assistance the competitors may receive during the event, with the exception of help from a fellow competitor.

"Our support vehicle, which officially competes in the T4 truck class, is a six-wheel drive 600 horsepower truck that will be carrying around 350 kg of spares that includes a complete rear axle, gearbox, a corner suspension set, steering rack, radiator and electrical components," Hall explains. "In truth, the crews really don't ever want to see this vehicle as it would mean they're in serious trouble!"

Rest day

The rest day in Copiapo on 8 January will give all concerned a chance to catch their breath and regroup, but it remains a busy working day for the support crews.

"The cars will be completely stripped and rebuilt, with new gearbox, suspension and rear axle, and the engine will be serviced," says Hall.

"The Dakar is not for sissies," says De Villiers, one of the Dakar's most successful drivers of the past decade, who has finished outside the top 10 only once in eight events.

"Just to finish is an achievement."

SAinfo reporter