Zip Zap circus delighted with new bus for school

No more breakdowns for circus that helps kids to perform overseas

SOCIAL circus Zip Zap is celebrating its acquisition of a new 22-seater bus to help it transport children from the townships to Zip Zap’s after-school circus programmes.

A registered non-profit organisation founded 24 years ago, Zip Zap has helped to discover and nurture many of Cape Town’s brightest young circus stars, who hail from disadvantaged communities.

The bus was acquired with the help of the Rotary Club of Claremont, the St Luke’s Combined Hospice, the Harry Crossley Foundation, and Jane and Peter Franzen from Germany.

The Harry Crossley Foundation gave R250 000 towards the project.

Zip Zap co-founder Brent van Rensburg said the circus provided free transport to and from the workshops.

“We were holding our buses together with what we had. They had broken down twice in five months, once on the day of a show, with some of our children in it. The repairs were costing more than the vehicles were worth,” said Van Rensburg.

He added that Zip Zap appreciated the generous donations.

Zip Zap’s programmes help protect children against social ills, and many of them enter its doors and go on to become professional circus performers who grace the international stage.

St Luke’s Combined Hospice felt especially strongly about the new bus for the circus, as some of their patients’ children attend the circus school.

A Rotarian from the Rotary Club of Claremont, who is also the chief executive of St Luke’s Combined Hospice, Ronita Mahilall, approached the Harry Crossley Foundation and the Rotary Club of Claremont, and both organisations were happy to assist.

“Four seemingly diverse organisations came together in a well-choreographed act by pooling resources together to give the aspiring Zip Zap circus artists a well-deserved bus. Zip Zap is an example of a largely self-sustaining organisation that is being proactive and innovative in generating multiple income streams to keep its projects running,” said Mahilall.

She added that it was important for St Luke’s to reassure parents that their children would be in a secure after-school project.

Zip Zap transport manager and driver Mphumzi Ngcikiza said the new bus was large, safe and reliable.

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‘St Luke’s Hospice felt strongly about the new bus, as some of their patients’ children attend the school’