Mmegi

Branch finishes 11th but maintains overall lead

Racing on: Branch is enjoying the longest lead in recent years by an African rider at the Dakar rally PIC: SUPPLIED
Racing on: Branch is enjoying the longest lead in recent years by an African rider at the Dakar rally PIC: SUPPLIED

Local biker, Ross Branch, faced a series of navigation problems to finish 11th on Stage Two of the Dakar Rally 2024 yesterday, but he remains in the lead on the overall charts.

The Kalahari Ferrari, as Branch is known, has enjoyed a strong start to this year’s edition of the race that started on January 5 and is due to end on January 19 in Saudi Arabia. Branch was third on the prologue stage and announced his intentions on Stage One on Saturday, as he bagged a morale-boosting win, his career fourth at the Dakar Rally.

Yesterday, the local biker led the pack but lost some time due to navigation problems as opponents closed in on him on the general standings. Branch says he lost ground early in today’s 655km long stretch as he struggled to get his navigation right just 50km in.


Editor's Comment
Micro-procurement maze demands urgent reform

Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...

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