For the second year, East London motorcyclists felt the breeze on their bits, trading riding gear for underpants in the Antipants-Antipoaching fundraising ride on Sunday.
The charity event, which takes place in Pretoria on the same day, collectively raised more than R30,000 for the Rhino Orphanage NPO.
More than 60 bikers from various East London clubs gathered at the German Settlers Monument in the morning, rocking fishnet stockings, panties, boxers and even a skimpy towel.
Wearing fishnet stockings and black hot pants as in 2023, Vicky Rehse, 46, from Gonubie, was excited to host the event for a second year.
“Last year was for the giraffes, and this year it’s for the rhinos,” Rehse said.
“It was great fun, the weather was beautiful, and people looked at us with our undies on and thought — these bikers don’t like protective gear.
“Some guys were still in their pants, I don’t think they were brave enough,” she teased.
In 2023, Rehse approached Antipants-Antipoaching organiser Skinny van Schalkwyk to see if East London clubs could expand the Pretoria ride into the metro.
“When we approached Skinny and asked if we could host for a second year, she was excited.
“We haven’t tallied up the final amount but I think we raised about R2,000.”
“When we do it next year, I think we will start planning earlier, maybe get an auction together too, so we can raise more money.
“It’s a great start to the year, to get the bikers together. Hopefully, we can make it even bigger next year.”
Biker Duane Nel, 60, from Amalinda, said: “I’m injured so, sadly, I had to wear pants.
“Most of the guys came in boxers and shorts, one guy came in a towel wrapped around him, which he hiked up when he was riding, with nothing underneath!
“It’s great fun, and the fact that everything is for charity makes it special.
“That’s what biking is about at the moment, most of our events are in support of a charity, it’s fulfilling to know it’s not just about us having fun but also giving back.”
Van Schalkwyk, 47, from Mooinooi near Pretoria, started the Pretoria event with her friend Yola “Chikita” Mentz in 2017.
“This is our seventh ride, we are always nervous because you never know how many pitch up, and it’s a lot of work.
“But you sit at home the next day, counting the donations and you go OK, we have to do this again.
“We are still trying to tally up the donations, we are currently at about R33,000 collected and that’s just the auction, we haven’t tallied the cash yet.”
Van Schalkwyk said some of the riders took the anti-pants part of the ride very seriously.
“Two friends had really small G-strings, her friend had some kind of fluffy thing.
“Another rider made old school bloomers, she sewed them with frills and everything.”
Managing director and founder of the Rhino Orphanage, Arrie van Deventer, said Pretoria’s event was an “eye-opener”.
“These are good people, who have good hearts, they may have looked funny but they were wonderful.
“Never judge a book by its cover, they may have looked like proper Hell’s Angel types, but with hearts of gold.
“We are really grateful.”
The NPO was established 12 years ago and was the first of its kind.
“We rescue, raise and rehabilitate baby rhinos,” Van Deventer said.
“Before we started the orphanage there was no facility like this, we realised that people would euthanise the calves because there was no place for them to go to.
“Now there are seven or eight in the country, which is wonderful.
“The greatest thing is, the rhino orphaned babies raised in the programme, some of them released back have now started calving, that why I always say that every rhino is important.”
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