The Mabundas cycling for future champions
BONGANI Mathebula. The name might not ring a bell now. But in a few years’ time, it should be as celebrated a household name as that of Nicholas Dlamini.
At just 17-years-old, Mathebula is displaying the kind of cycling prowess that should take him to great heights in a sport you would not ordinarily associate with a youngster from Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga.
Mathebula loves the sport and is pretty good at it as proven by his second place finish in the Vodacom Hippo Hollow Mountain racing barefoot on a handed-down jalopy of a bicycle.
Such are the high barriers to entry into sports such as cycling, however, that talented youngsters like him often fall by the wayside and get lost to the dangerous trappings of township and village life.
It is for this reason that the husband and wife team of cycling enthusiasts Nyimpini and Dr Mosima Mabunda have taken upon themselves to help raise funds to buy equipment for Mathebula and his teammates at the Bushbuckridge Cycling Academy.
The couple, better known for their roles as chief executive of General Electric Southern Africa and head of Wellness at Discovery Vitality respectively, will participate in the 322km Panorama Cycle Tour starting Thursday, September 2.
Popularly known as ‘The Toughest Race on Tar’, the four-day stage race has an incredible 6400m overall elevation and takes place in White River which acts as the centre from which each day’s race will start and end.
Mr Mabunda admits to having taken more than he’s ever done, but is prepared to suffer for the sake of the young boys from his hometown.
“I’ve never done this level of challenge. But I’m taking punishment to make this happen because the cause is much bigger than me,” he says.
Mabunda was initially approached via social media by a local businessman who has been backing the Bushbuckridge Cycling Academy but struggling to take them to a higher level.
“A guy called Andre approached me on my Linkedin account after realising I come from the area and asked that we help out. I spoke to him and went to see the area where the club is based and thought we could do something, through our family foundation.”
His wife Mosima is an avid cyclist who is fully aware of what it takes to participate in the sport.
“I’ve actually realised that this is not just a hobby but there are people who are making a living out of cycling just as I am a doctor. Last year when I was doing the Double Century race I realised the rising costs of participating in these events and not just in cycling but sport in general. And when I connected the dots I became aware that those are some of the key barriers for access. It was then that we decided to help democratise access to elite sporting activities by making it possible for young people to match their talents with tangible opportunities.”
For Mathebula and his teammates, there’s the Youth Championships (officially called the SA Youth & Jill Bezuidenhout youth festival) in October in their own province which they ordinarily would struggle to compete in.
The Mabundas are hoping to help them not only participate but be able to compete at a similar level with the others.
“The youth championship is going to happen in Mpumalanga which is good because it will be cheaper for them as they won’t have to incur travel costs. But we realised that they will need resources that would cost R90 000,” Mr Mabunda explains. “We then decided to contribute half of that amount from our family’s foundation.” They plan to raise the other half through their participation in the Panorama Tour through the legendary mountains of Mpumalanga, including Boulders Nature Reserve, Spitzkop and partly Long Tom Pass. For those keen to help out, they can donate via the crowd-funding initiative that the Mabundas have established on Back-abuddy under the cause: Nyimpini and Mosima Mabunda’s sports cause
“We felt we could tap into our network to help us raise the remainder of the funds.”
The Mabundas are hoping to buy five new bicycles, kits and provide coaching for the five boys who will participate in the youth festival.
“For us it’s to try and help make someone else’s life better,” said Mrs Mabunda.
Her husband has been back to Bushbuckridge to give motivational talks at schools and has always been struck by the children’s reaction when they realise he is from the same background as them.
“They always say to me, are you sure you grew up here and this is what you are doing now? And I’ve seen them have that belief and push that it is real for them, that here’s someone who grew up just a few metres from where I am and he has made it big. And I believe it just needs a bit of role-modelling and if one of these kids can become a national champion or something like that, the impact it will make in that community is huge.”
And Bongani Mathebula has already shown it is possible.