THE BLOODHOUND project has been the catalyst of large-scale socio-economic development projects in South Africa’s Northern Cape, where the car will run in 2015 and 2016.

Since deciding to run on the Hakskeen Pan, the BLOODHOUND team has been instrumental in helping to launch several projects that will positively impact on the communities who live around the pan.

The latest of these is the decision by the South African Department of Water Affairs to expedite the construction of a water pipeline of 150km to deliver water to small towns and villages around Hakskeenpan, delivering much-needed water to farms and smallholdings.

BLOODHOUND has been involved in the communities around Hakskeenpan for the past three years with education ambassadors visiting schools in the area on a regular basis, providing free posters and books, videos and specially produced TV programmes and hosting presentations.

Telecoms giant MTN, one of BLOODHOUND’s communication partners in South Africa, has also erected a high speed broadband internet network which will provide internet connectivity to the area.

“The MTN team have provided five 70 metre high  permanent radio masts  which provide better 4G LTE connectivity than we have in London. This will enable Bloodhound followers all over the World to receive up to 300 data and three live video channels from the BLOODHOUND car via the internet – and draw huge attention to the Pan and its people,” said BLOODHOUND project director Richard Noble.

The new water pipeline will be built in two phases. The first will deliver water from Askham to Groot Mier, Klein Mier and Hakskeenpan, as well as to 130 small farms in the area.

Construction on this phase is expected to start in September this year, and should be finished by June 2015.

The second phase will deliver water from Hakskeenpan to Rietfontein and Philandersbron. This will be done after 2015.

The water pipe system will eventually deliver 23 litres water per second, 24 hours per day, to all the communities who currently rely on small quantities of ground- and rainwater. The area has a population of less than 10 000.

In the past three years, Bloodhound created work for 310 people in the area, who picked up thousands of tones of rock on Hakskeenpan to clear the track, and get it ready for the record attempts.

"Our wish is that Bloodhound leave a big legacy, including water, education through our education project and other opportunities," said BLOODHOUND project director Richard Noble.

“BLOODHOUND may be about the supersonic car  but its also a very special catalyst capable of providing a substantial increase in opportunity for the local population who have contributed so much .”


For more information contact

Schalk Mouton
Communication Manager, South Africa
Bloodhound
(+27)82 739 9637