Cape Town - The Rhinos in Africa Foundation stood out on Sunday at the Good Food and Wine Show at the CTICC, when the foundation showcased a 750kg rhino chocolate cake.
The foundation focuses on finding legitimate rhino organisations that need funding for the protection of these endangered animals.
The cake was made to raise funds for the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC) which assists in the rehabilitation of orphaned and injured rhinos affected directly by poaching.
They currently house 11 baby rhinos between the ages of four months and four years, whose mothers were killed by poachers.
Megan Carr, who founded the body in 2014, said: “We know the Good Food and Wine Show is a big event every year so we thought a rhino cake would be perfect in raising awareness to a big audience.”
To raise funding for HESC, the foundation organised a raffle at the show as well as online where people could donate R30 and stand the chance to win a diamond necklace worth R30 000. Carr said they would keep the raffle open until next week to raise as much money as possible.
The cake was the centre of attention as people passed by in astonishment, while the delicious smell of chocolate lingered in the air.
Dot Klerck is the designer and sculptor and she and her small team took 125 hours to bake the life-size cake, with the ingredients costing R65 000.
Klerck’s studio is in Wellington so the cake had to be carefully transported in a large refrigerated truck.
She said: “It was a challenge because I have never baked anything this large, but now I am so proud that it is standing here. The fact that we managed to transport such a large structure all the way without a scratch was an achievement in itself.”
Carr said the cake would be donated to the Food Bank, a non-profit organisation that collects edible food from manufacturers and retailers, and redistributes it to help feed hungry people every day.
Liam Lapham, 3, stood next to the rhino, reaching its knee, and said: “Mommy, it’s so big and I can eat it.”
* Two rhinos were killed last Thursday night at the Rietvlei Nature Reserve in Pretoria. Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa said: “I am hopeful that the perpetrators of this heinous crime will be arrested… soon.”
Molewa urged all South Africans to work with law enforcement concerning this matter.
The reserve has introduced additional security and remains closed until on Monday.
Cape Times