​​​Maties Rector and Vice-Chancellor Prof Wim de Villiers will again lead a team of alumni, staff, students and friends of Stellenbosch University (SU) in the world's largest timed cycle race on Sunday (10 March) – this time to raise money for #Move4Food.

It will be the third time that De Villiers will be sweating for a good cause. In March 2018 he tackled the Cape Town Cycle Tour to commemorate the University's Centenary and raise money for student bursaries, and in September last year he ran the full 42 km Sanlam Cape Town Marathon – also in aid of #Move4Food.

This campaign kicked off in August 2018 with an ambitious target of R10 million. The aim is to end student hunger on SU campuses by establishing sustainable food banks. The campaign has been well supported so far in various ways. To date, over R1 million in donations and goods have been raised, with the campaign set to end on 19 April 2019.

In the 27-member #Maties100 team on Sunday will be students from SU's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences on the Tygerberg campus, who last year cycled all the way from Vioolsdrift on the Namibian border to Cape Agulhas in support of #Move4Food – a distance of 902 km. The group – consisting of Breda Reed, Mias Marais, Luke Titus, Christoff Greyling and Wonderboy Nkosi – managed to raise over R59 000. They will reunite again this weekend to take part in the Cape Town Cycle Tour. Follow the link below to support them.

De Villiers said: “A recent study by the National Research Foundation revealed that more than 30% of university students in South Africa are food insecure. This affects not only their academic results, but their fundamental human dignity. Maties students are creating food banks to ensure that none of their mates go to class on an empty stomach. The initiative has my full support. I would greatly appreciate yours."

Be our guest

All Maties riding in the #CTCycleTour2019 on Sunday (alumni, staff and students of the University) are invited to the Maties Hospitality Suite at the Cape Town Stadium on Sunday. They will have the opportunity to put up their feet, enjoy light refreshments and get a revitalising sports massage as they meet up with fellow Maties. Space is limited and admission will be on a first-come, first-served basis between 09:00 and 16:00.

• To support any of the #Move4Food projects, please visit http://bit.ly/Move4Food-projects