More than 4 000 bikers and visitors attended the annual Desert Wolves Rally in Saldanha from 28 to 30 August, with the main venue at the municipal Saldanha Holiday Resort.

The rally, now in its fourth year in Saldanha, provided a boost to local tourism and businesses.

According to Ethne Lawrence, spokesperson for Saldanha Bay Municipality (SBM), accommodation in and around Saldanha was fully booked two to three months before the event, while the resort’s glamping facilities were booked two months in advance.

The event is estimated to have injected between R8 million and R12 million into the local economy over the weekend. Community outreach also formed part of the rally, with the Desert Wolves Motorcyle Club distributing 800 food parcels to families and 300 party packs to children.

Several organisations supported the initiative. A highlight of the weekend was the crowning of Lea Steenkamp from St Helena Bay as Miss Desert Wolves 2026. Steenkamp, a member of the All In Motorcycle Club from Velddrif, said she was shocked to win the title.

Tyrone de Wet, Desert Wolves Club President, thanked SBM, the mayor’s office, police, traffic, fire and law enforcement services, as well as sponsors, motorcycle clubs, bikers and visitors for their support. De Wet said the event was incident-free and credited cooperation between the organisers, authorities and the public.

He added that the club looks forward to continuing its relationship with Saldanha and expanding the rally’s community initiatives.

Watch the slideshow for more photos by Noluvu Ludidi: