Tshego’s journey to Kili
WHEN his parents conquered Mount Kilimanjaro in July 2017, little Retshegofaditswe “Tshego” Hatang was so fascinated by their tales as they narrated their epic journey up Africa’s highest mountain that he was inspired to also get to the snow-capped Uhuru Peak.
But his parents, Nelson Mandela Foundation chief executive Sello Hatang and his wife Thembi, would have none of it.
“You’re too young,” they told the boy.
But Tshego wouldn’t give up. He went online, gathered all the information he could about Kilimanjaro climbers, and approached his parents again – this time armed with information they just couldn’t dismiss.
“I researched and found out that an eight-year-old from Canada had climbed, so I went back to my parents to say if an eight-year-old girl can climb, then I can also do it,” said Tshego, addressing a group of aspiring climbers and business executives gathered at a fundraising dinner held at the Houghton golf club to help raise funds for disadvantaged girls.
On the night of the summit, the then 10-year-old walked side-by-side with his father and other adults in -8ºC weather.
“It was extremely cold. It was dark and my toes were freezing. My dad said we should go down but I didn’t want to quit. I hadn’t walked on snow before and that was my dream. When we got to Gilman’s Peak (at 5 685m above sea level), it was dark and windy and dad said we should go back,” Tshego said.
The pair managed to get to the next point, Stella Point, at 5 756m, just 170m from Uhuru Peak, before turning back. “When we got to camp, my dad told me my grandmother had died, so that’s why we had to go down,” the boy said.
Asked whether he plans to attempt the peak again, the answer was a definite yes.
Also attending the dinner, sponsored by LexisNexis, was former public protector Thuli Madonsela, who plans to climb up Uhuru Peak on August 9, Women’s Day. This will be just 13 days after a group of 27 climbers would have reached the peak on Mandela Day, July 18.
“Climbing Kili was on my bucket list until something happened that I won’t talk about. It shook all of us who were unfit. My initial reason was for reasons people bungee-jump and do all these crazy things… the thrill. That was until I spoke to Richard Mabaso (brains behind Trek4Mandela), who said ‘you need to find the why’.
“My daughter and her friend were like no, do it for social justice. After spending the day with the beautiful Gerry Eldson (media personality), it suddenly made sense… It made me realise that I am here because of sacrifices other people made. My parents couldn’t take me past Grade 10 and it took other people and my involvement in the Struggle to build a ladder.
If my concern and your concern is how we’re going to deal with the Fourth Industrial Revolution… there’s still people who haven’t experienced the Second Industrial Revolution. It’s impossible to be happy when you’re surrounded by a sea of unhappiness,” Madonsela said.