Rentia Retief crossing that finish line at the Cape Epic mountain bike race.
Image: Francois Malan
Amputee Rentia Retief, 32, from Somerset West, completed the gruelling week-long Cape Epic race to raise over R14 000 for the Zimele non-profit company in Pinelands.
The mountain bike challenge started on Sunday March 16 in Durbanville and ended on Sunday March 23 in Somerset West.
Ms Retief cycled over 590km with a prosthetic leg. “It was amazing, there was a lot of elevation and of course it was not about myself, it was about me doing it for a charity that helps amputees get back in action,” she says.
Ms Retief, an artist by profession, chose to support Zimele, which works towards the rehabilitation of amputees from disadvantaged areas and provides prosthetic rehabilitation and manufacturing and fitting. Ms Retief says she lost her right limb below the knee when she was cycling in Stellenbosch and was hit by a truck in April 2023. “I was fortunate enough to have fantastic support when I lost my leg and that is why it also made it possible for me to get back to doing the things I used to do.”
She says many amputees do not have a support network. “Zimele provides that support network for amputees and receiving a prosthetic alone is not enough, they also require physiotherapy,” she says.
Executive director of Zimele, Dr Sarah Whitehead, says they are proud of Ms Retief’s grit and determination.
“Tackling the Cape Epic is a challenge for anyone, so to take it on when she has the added challenge of being an amputee is just phenomenal.”
Dr Whitehead says Ms Retief is an inspiration for amputees, people with other disabilities or anyone facing adversity of any kind.
Dr Whitehead say public support is critical for the sustainability of their organisation. “We are completely reliant on external funding by virtue of the fact that the amputees we help come from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds and can’t contribute financially to their prosthetic rehabilitation.
Ms Retief's next challenge is to take part in the South African Sports Association for the Physically Disabled (SASAPD) National Championships in Gqeberha this weekend and in future she will attempt a para-triathlon.
Ms Retief wants to continue to support Zimele through her Givengain page.