GEORGE NEWS - A group of amputee motorcyclists is travelling across South Africa as part of Wheels of Hope, an initiative aimed at raising awareness, providing assistance and showing other differently abled people what remains possible after limb loss.
The group left Pretoria on Saturday 12 September, and aims to cover about 7 000km in about 15 days.
Besides raising awareness about the challenges amputees face, the riders are handing over 10 prosthetic legs during this year's tour to recipients in Gqeberha, Pretoria, Cape Town and Welkom. Wheelchairs have also been delivered to people in need, including two in Mossel Bay.
George Herald met Dave Malherbe and Bushy McKelvey, the organising riders behind the initiative, as well as Nico van Niekerk, an ambassador for the Handicapable Foundation, during their stop at Barkley and Oates, an orthotic, prosthetic and rehabilitation centre in George. Another organiser, Rick Esterhuizen, had lost his left leg in 2025 as a result of diabetes.
The initiative is funded through sponsorships that help to cover the cost of prostheses, wheelchairs and travel. The group also encourages families of amputees who have died to donate unused prosthetic limbs, which can be used for spare parts or adapted to assist someone else.
Out on a limb. Photo: Supplied
Their story
For McKelvey, helping others is rooted in his own experience. He lost his left leg in 1991 after a hit-and-run in Newcastle, KZN. Nine years later, he lost his right leg after being struck by a drunk driver. A friend riding behind him in the accident did not survive.
McKelvey previously raced motorcycles, and continues to ride despite losing both legs.
Malherbe said his own amputation followed complications from rheumatoid arthritis. His ankle had already been fused when he fractured the bones while mountain biking. The injury developed into osteomyelitis and, despite attempts to save the limb, his leg eventually had to be amputated.
Dave Malherbe and Bushy McKelvey. Photo: Marguerite van Ginkel
"We are not disabled; we are differently abled," Malherbe said. "It takes a bit longer to get on or off the bikes, and we are not that mobile, but we are still mobile."
McKelvey said seeing people collecting money while in wheelchairs after he had lost his second leg prompted him to start raising funds there and then. "I rode a little scooter around the country for six days. That is where the whole switch came about. It was a life-changing experience."
The moment that changed his life
Van Niekerk lost his left arm and right leg in a 2017 motorcycle accident on the R21 near Johannesburg. He spent five weeks in an induced coma and underwent extensive treatment and months of rehabilitation. He said the support from family and friends was crucial during his recovery.
Van Niekerk no longer rides, but remains involved in the initiative by raising awareness, funds and supporting people dealing with trauma and limb loss. "You have to adjust; you have to learn to channel frustration," he said. "There is a much bigger picture. There is much to be grateful for."
Nico van Niekerk and Cobus Pretorius from Mossel Bay, who recently received a wheelchair. Photo: Supplied
One example is the six-year-old Lebongo Williams, who received two artificial legs last year. According to the organisation, he was able to cycle soon afterwards and is doing exceptionally well.
Reach out
To get involved, donate or seek support, contact Malherbe on 082 572 8614 or [email protected], or McKelvey on 076 891 2058.
Follow Wheels of Hope - Out on a Limb on Facebook, contact Van Niekerk of the Handicapable Foundation on 082 418 9592, or visit www.handicapable.org.za.
‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
