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SOUTH AFRICA'S A1 GRAND PRIX CAR SPORTS 46664
2005-09-05

(SOUTH AFRICA - 28 September 2005) Team South Africa demonstrated their support for Former President Nelson Mandela's call for the people of South Africa to do more to help those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS by sporting his former prison number from Robben Island - 46664 - now used to brand Mr Mandela's AIDS awareness raising campaign on their team car at the inaugural A1 Grand Prix at Brands Hatch on Sunday.

Team South Africa is one of 25 national teams who raced in the inaugural event, and currently stands in 8th place in the Championship. The teams will continue the Grand Prix Series over a 12-race schedule, which will take in 12 different countries, including South Africa on 29 January 2006. The Team is led by Tokyo Sexwale, a former ANC freedom fighter and cellmate of Mr Mandela on Robben Island; now one of South Africa's leading business entrepreneurs.

John Samuel, Chief Executive of the Nelson Mandela Foundation commented: "I am proud that Team South Africa are supporting Mr Mandela's campaign by carrying the 46664 logo on their team car. It is vital for the success of our global campaign to take Mr Mandela's call for the world to do more to help those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS to a worldwide audience. Sheikh Maktoum's vision for A1 is to create a level playing field for the countries of the world to compete, an egalitarian vision he shares with Mr Mandela who has always stated that as long as the spread of AIDS goes unchecked, Africa will always be unfairly disadvantaged." Mr Samuel added: “A1 and Team South Africa will continue to take the message of the 46664 HIV awareness campaign across the world and serve as a reminder of the need for us all to do much more to protect ourselves and each other.”

46664 is increasingly using other channels, as well as music, to raise awareness of Mr Mandela's message. A number of sports teams, including the Springboks, have sported 46664 on their shirts, and Jordan featured 46664 on its F1 cars. More recently, the message of 46664 was taken across South Africa on a torch run to mark Mr Mandela's 87th birthday, and following the first 46664 concert in Cape Town in November 2003 a number of special ambassadors, including President Bill Clinton, Will Smith and Oprah Winfrey, have been appointed to help spread the message of the campaign.

Inspired by the vision & leadership of Mr Mandela, 46664 aims to raise awareness of the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, as well as funds, to help the Nelson Mandela Foundation to initiate, develop and support practical programmes for the prevention, testing, care and support for those infected and affected by HIV / AIDS in South Africa.