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MBABANE – The organisers of the Imvelo MTB Classic are short for words to thank Nedbank for the continued support.

This was said by Big Game Parks (BGP) General Manager Ann Reilly yesterday, during the official handover of the E150 000 sponsorship for the celebrated race.

“Following a very tough two-year break due to COVID-19, Big Game Parks engaged Nedbank on resurrecting Imvelo MTB Classic held on Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary. As we all emerged from the fog of the pandemic, it took time to align again, and Eswatini’s oldest MTB event shifted from June to September to allow for the top-class organisation it is known for,” said Reilly in her opening remarks. She said Nedbank graciously stepped up to the plate, taking on the principal sponsor role of Imvelo once again.

Grateful

“Big Game Parks was truly grateful as the COVID-19 impact was huge – we lost almost 50 per cent of our staff through layoffs and retrenchments, while remaining staff took massive salary cuts simply to stay in a job and to keep the organisation afloat. These cuts were as much as 60 per cent at top level,” she said.

The general manager said they appreciated that Nedbank has stood with them since 2000, when they began as Ngulube MTB Classic, Eswatini’s first MTB race in partnership with Rotary Mbabane.

“In 2004, we were independent of Rotary, changed to Imvelo MTB Classic and Nedbank remained steadfast by our side. Through these years,

Imvelo has developed into a race of regional acclaim, inspiring local cyclists as well as enticing cyclists from across the border,” said Reilly.

She said this’ year edition was a success with 326 entries (traditionally Imvelo cuts off at 500 riders), including 188 emaSwati, 128 South Africans and 10 Mozambicans.

“We missed many families due to the September date, with a final number of 236 cyclists starting, but it was better to run the event than to lose yet another year – and we will be back in June from 2023,” she said.

Reilly also highlighted that Imvelo MTB Classic was a fundraiser for conservation and community projects.

Embarked

“In the early years, we did smaller projects including painting schools, fixing getters and classroom floors, buying uniforms for OVCs. We then embarked on massive water projects in the Siphocosini/Mantabeni area. We have constructed three large water stations, making water more easily accessible to a large number of homesteads,” she said.

She said the last of these were built for around E150 000 in 2017/8 and consisted of a solar-powered borehole, with 10 000 litre water storage tank providing easy access to top quality water.

“In 2018, the Ezulwini community approached Mlilwane for assistance in a large rural water scheme with Rural Water and Micro-Projects, known as Buhle Belizulu. The project supplies high quality potable water off Mlilwane north to over 700 homesteads in the greater Ezulwini basin,” she elaborated.