SABAT and QASA Celebrate NEARLY THREE DECADES OF PARTNERSHIP
SABAT and QASA Celebrate NEARLY THREE DECADES OF PARTNERSHIP
The annual SABAT-sponsored QASA event once again celebrated the power of purpose, partnership, and pride, with a refreshing twist as it was held for the first time at the Johannesburg Zoo as the“ Great Wildlife Dash.”
The day brought together members of the QuadPara Association of South Africa( QASA), their families, sponsors, and supporters for a heartwarming celebration of mobility, independence, and inclusion.
Under a canopy of shady trees, with bunting fluttering between picket fences and the chatter of excited participants filling the air, the event’ s move from its traditional racetrack setting to the Johannesburg Zoo proved to be a masterstroke. The zoo’ s accessible design, featuring wide, paved pathways and wheelchair-friendly facilities, provided the perfect backdrop for an event that celebrated not just movement, but freedom itself.
The special relationship between SABAT Batteries and QASA stretches back to 1997, when an agreement was struck to ensure that quadriplegic South Africans could access sponsored SABAT batteries to power their electric wheelchairs. This initiative gave hundreds of people renewed independence and mobility, turning SABAT’ s product into a true lifeline.
Over the decades, the relationship has flourished, evolving into one of the most enduring and meaningful corporate partnerships in South Africa’ s disability empowerment landscape. What began as a sponsorship has grown into a friendship, a shared mission, and an annual tradition that embodies the SABAT spirit of reliability, community, and local pride.
festive season!
The event provides an opportunity to celebrate this ongoing journey, a chance to see the direct impact of SABAT’ s commitment to power, progress, and inclusion.
Guests were welcomed at the SABATbranded Bandstand entrance, where each participant received a T-shirt, cap, badge, and map, giving them everything they needed for the day ahead. They were treated to coffee, muffins, fruit, and pastries as they mingled with fellow QASA members, SABAT representatives, and volunteers beneath a lush canopy of leaves. The festive atmosphere was lifted by a cheerful photo booth, a children’ s play area, and upbeat background music, setting the tone for a day of unity and fun.
Corne Strydom, AutoX Sales and Marketing Executive, opened the event with words of welcome, introducing Ashley Scott, the new General Manager of QASA, who began her role in late 2025, and acknowledged the dedication of everyone who continues to make this event possible year after year. His address highlighted not just the logistics behind the day, but the spirit that drives it: a shared belief that mobility empowers dignity, and that energy can change lives.
Before the festivities kicked off, the recently introduced SABAT anthem played a proud, unifying moment that captured the essence of the brand’ s“ Proudly South African” identity and the heart behind the partnership.
The festivities began with the much-loved wheelchair sprint, an exciting showdown where QASA members competed in friendly heats, cheered on by family, friends, and volunteers. Flags fluttered, cameras flashed, and the laughter of children and spectators filled the air as the spirit of competition and camaraderie came alive.
After the sprints came the main event, the Great Wildlife Dash. Teams named after South African wildlife, including Rhino, Leopard, Crane, and Gorilla, amongst others, set off across the zoo’ s grounds with one mission: to spot the five animals indicated on their maps. A light spring drizzle couldn’ t dampen spirits; if anything, it added to the adventure. The sight of dozens of SABAT-powered wheelchairs moving confidently through the zoo’ s pathways was both inspiring and symbolic, a living metaphor for what power and partnership can achieve.
Reflecting on the day, Corne Strydom shared the deeper significance behind t he partnership:
“ The Great Wildlife Dash is about more than an excuse for a gathering. It’ s a celebration of freedom, independence, and community. It’ s the only event of its kind in the world, and it reminds us why our partnership with QASA matters so deeply. Through this initiative, every QASA-registered member who uses a power wheelchair is entitled to a free set of SABAT batteries every two years. It’ s one way we can help ensure that people with mobility impairments can live independent lives and have a lot of fun doing so.”
The contestants broke for lunch under the trees, as participants and guests shared stories, laughter, and photos from their morning’ s adventure. For many, it wasn’ t just an outing; it was a reaffirmation of belonging, confidence, and pride.
For SABAT Batteries, the partnership with QASA represents far more than a corporate initiative. It is a legacy of empowerment. By providing energy that transforms lives, SABAT continues to demonstrate that true power lies not only in what’ s under the bonnet, but in what it enables people to do.
Through events like the Great Wildlife Dash, SABAT continues to live its promise: Powering mobility. Powering possibility. Powering South Africa.
www. sabat. co. za
NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2025 3 WORDS IN ACTION