Cayne Philander on his way to the Jimny Gathering in Clarens
I attended the inaugural Suzuki Safari in the Northern Cape two years ago.
I didn’t have much hope for myself in the very compact Jimny SUV we’d be driving because at 2cm short of 2 meters tall, the Jimny was a car I hardly looked at or even considered driving.
Yet, as soon as we touched down in Upington and set course for the mountainous region between Pofadder and Springbok, a weird love affair between the Jimny and I began.
One evening on this four-day Safari, Brendon Carpenter, Suzuki SA’s Brand Marketing Manager, told us of his idea to gather the greatest number of Jimnies in one location right here in South Africa.
Even though the trip convinced me of the Jimny’s capabilities, I never bought one. Still, I kept waiting for the announcement of the big rally. Then the big news hit in 2022: Carpenter’s idea of a Jimny gathering was happening, and we were not going to miss this!
A 1 200km journey
Fast forward a year later, and we find ourselves at the Engen Winelands One-Stop, meeting up with two other Jimnies ready to hit the road to Clarens in the Free state at 05:00.
The plan was to split the 1 200km journey into two days as we took up Suzuki SA’s free camping space at the Gariep Dam before taking on the final leg of the journey to Clarence the following day.
Truth be told, we were a bit disappointed that we didn’t see many other Jimnies on the road during our eight-hour stint to Gariep, but the picture changed when we reached the overnight spot.
READ | New record! Suzuki pulls off epic Jimny Gathering in Clarens
Just outside the Dam, we were greeted by other Jimny owners, and it seemed like more and more Jimnies popped up everywhere we looked. As we entered the gates of the Gariep Dam, it was like a scene straight from a movie!
We were in Jimny Land, and Jimnies were scattered all over the place, all in different colours and generations.
Just as the last rays of the sun began falling over the campsite, I saw Carpenter’s wife arriving in the five-door Jimny! She parked it perfectly (clearly no stranger to how a vehicle should be parked for pictures) as if the soon-to-be-launched five-door SUV was the prom queen at the Matric Dance.
A new World Record
The next day, we set off on a five-hour journey to Clarens, leaving the Gariep Dam on a high with massive excitement.
As we neared Clarens, I felt we were entering something unique, almost biblical. Then, the reality of what we were a part of struck even more as we saw other convoys. It was like the Free State town had been turned into Lego Capital!
There were Jimnies of all shapes and sizes: LJs, SJs, JBs, and Samurais, all kitted differently and uniquely. According to Suzuki South Africa, more than 800 Jimny owners and over 3 000 people were in attendance. Just… Wow!
Over the next 48 hours, we were entertained by South African artists and musicians; Schalk Bezuidenhout hosting the event and keeping us laughing with his comedic antics, and food and beverages befitting the unique South African culture.
But the real magic would be on Sunday, 24 September: Heritage Day.
796 Jimnies lined up to set – and be a part of – a new Guinness World Record as we turned on our headlights simultaneously. However, because there was no official record, there had to be a minimum of 250 vehicles (box checked), and all the vehicles’ lights had to be turned on within five seconds of each other.
As soon as the countdown was done, the lights came on, and the hooters blared throughout the campsite. There is no greater feeling than to be a part of something so monumental, and it humbles you to know that it was set on South African soil.
After the event, I chatted with Carpenter about Suzuki Town’s meaningfulness, and he summed it up perfectly: “It was quite a weekend!
“We left having set a new World Record, we met great Suzuki owners, we rocked the town with some great music, and, perhaps most importantly, we showed the world what a lekker group of people Suzuki owners are!”
