Take a walkabout in Joburg with Ian Botham

©Nicolas De Corte via 123RF

English cricket legend Sir Ian 'Beefy' Botham is inviting Joburg residents and the city's visitors to walk with him through Joburg and Soweto's colourful streets as part of his charity walk in South Africa, which starts in Cape Town on 10 December 2015 and ends in Pretoria on 17 December 2015. The aim of the walk is to raise funds for South African charities. It is also a celebration of Botham's 60th birthday and the 30th anniversary of his first ever walk from John O'Groats to Lands End in Great Britain in 1985 to raise funds for blood cancer research. This is Botham's 16th walk and so far he has raised more than £20-million for charity.

All funds raised in South Africa will be divided equally among South African charities: Nazareth House - a home for abandoned, neglected, disabled and orphaned children; Chipembere Rhino Foundation - which assists in the protection and conservation of Africa's rhinoceroses; the Waitrose Foundation Southern Africa - which funds locally-led sustainable programmes that benefit farmers and smallholders who supply products to Waitrose supermarkets in the UK; and the Kliptown Youth Project - which provides educational support and after-school activities for disadvantaged children in Soweto.

From Soweto to Sandton

The routes selected for the Joburg and Soweto stages of the walk serve to showcase the vibrancy and diversity of Johannesburg as a destination, that there is more to Joburg than business and that it is much more than a stopover city. From its iconic and cultural landmarks in Soweto (South Africa's most illustrious township) to the suburbs and attractions of Sandton (the richest square mile in Africa), visitors can spend days exploring Joburg's rich struggle history, tourist attractions, and vibrant cultural and shopping districts visiting its magnificent parks, art galleries, restaurants, bars, specialty stores, food markets, sidewalk cafe and the other cultural and lifestyle attractions that breathe life into the city.

The 15km Soweto walk on 15 December 2015 starts at the Kliptown Youth Project and finishes at Jabulani Mall Food Lover's Market, and will see Beefy and his fellow walkers pass many of Soweto's historical sites and areas, passing Nelson Mandela's house in Vikakazi Street. The 22.8km walk on 16 December 2015 starts at the Fourways Food Lover's Market and ends at The Maslow hotel in Sandton.

Dust off your walking shoes

Laura Vercueil, Joburg Tourism's PR and communications manager, says this is a great opportunity for Joburgers and visitors to put on their walking shoes and enjoy a great day outdoors, visiting some of Joburg and Soweto's fascinating sites and at the same time raising funds for charity. "Joburg, with its perfect weather, tree-laden streets and magnificent parks lends itself to walking, cycling, healthy living and a great outdoor lifestyle. We would like encourage Joburgers to swap their cars for more eco-friendly ways of getting around the city such as walking, cycling and using public transport to experience the best the city has to offer."

Tickets to join the walks, at a cost of R200 per walk, can be booked and paid for online through Webtickets. Tickets can also be booked through Webtickets and then paid for at any Pick n Pay outlet. For more information and for a booking link to join the walks click here.