NTT Tzaneen Rally returns with full force
TZANEEN – It's all systems go for the highly anticipated NTT Tzaneen Rally, scheduled to roar to life on Friday, May 30, and Saturday, May 31.
With just weeks to go, excitement is mounting among motorsport fans as the popular rally returns after a one-year hiatus.
Last year, the rally was cancelled due to severe wildfires sparked by a heatwave, leaving both the local community and rally enthusiasts disappointed. But this year, conditions are favourable, and the engines are ready to rev.
Veteran local rally driver Eddie Simpson is among those thrilled to see the event make a comeback. With 18 years of experience in both regional and national events, Simpson says driving in his hometown is always special.
'I'm excited to be back behind the wheel here at home. Tzaneen is one of my favourite places to compete,' he told the Herald. 'I especially enjoy the Tzaneen Dam stages and the Politsi canal, those roads make for an exhilarating drive,' Simpson confirmed he will be participating in the Saturday leg of the rally only.
He is not the only one who values the event.
In 2022, national competitors praised the NTT Tzaneen Rally as one of the best-organised in the country.
However, not all local rally icons will be participating this year. Former WOMZA Group D national champion Peter Pilusa cited high costs and a lack of sponsorship as barriers keeping him off the track. Louis Menge, Simpson's former navigator, also confirmed he will not be available to compete this year.
The rally's rich legacy is an integral part of Tzaneen's heritage. According to the official NTT Tzaneen Rally Facebook page, the first national rally passed through the town in 1971, although records show the region had a taste of gravel racing as early as 1967 during the PMC Mountain Trial rally en route to Lourenço Marques (now Maputo).
'The rugged forest roads of Tzaneen soon gained a reputation as some of the most challenging and thrilling rally routes in the country. The area was a regular fixture in the National Rally Championship until 2005, when it took a 17-year break. Even so, Tzaneen remained a key stop in the Northern Regions Rally Championship, hosting the event for 20 consecutive years, a record in South African rally history.'
With the rally's return now just around the corner, motorsport fans can expect two adrenaline-fuelled days celebrating speed, skill, and community spirit.
For updates and more information, visit the official NTT Tzaneen Rally Facebook page.
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