14 Jan 2015

After the indulgences of the festive season many Batswana are left with memories to reminisce and body weights to lose. Some residents of Francistown are facing the year head on with zeal, determination, focus and out-most desire for fitness.

Unlike in many other countries and cities where people go to the gym or take walks and road works to shed off unwanted kilogrammes, residents of Francistown have found a niche in climbing Nyangabwe Hill as a way to keep fit.

The hill, which is located at Government Camp and standing majestically in the country’s second city has three steep paved laps, making it easy for fitness fanatics to maneuver through. People from all walks of life together with their pets either visit the hill for their morning or evening workouts, but it is the working class who frequent the hill to burn their calories.

In an interview with BOPA, Mr Vusa Moratiwa, a former soldier and a Nyangabwe hill frequenter said climbing the hill is so far the cheapest way to keep fit. He said activities such as dieting and going to the gym can cost a fortune but one only needs a tract suit and some sneakers to maneuver the hill.

Mr Moratiwa also stated that it is vital for people to start the year with a top notch of fitness after the hectic holidays that saw people practice risky behaviours like excessive drinking and eating junk food. Ms Keletso Seboko, an unemployed youth who captains a constituency league netball team said she brings her team three times a week to the hill to keep fit.

She said the hill exercises the whole body and one does not need an instructor to climb it, also stating that her team’s aim is to win this year’s national tournament and it is important for them to start the year on a high fitness note.

Ms Seboko said training also keeps the youth busy and therefore impedes them from having idling time, which might cause them to indulge in risky behaviours such as drinking alcohol, smoking and or even stealing.

An elder who frequents the hill, Ms Tidimalo Monyatsi stated that she is a hyper tension and diabetes patient and climbing the hill helps her to control her illness.She stressed that her doctor has advised her to exercise in order to regulate her blood sugar levels and it is precisely what she is doing.

Furthermore, she also noted that training reduces stress as one needs to focus and stop the mind from wondering about life’s hardships. She urged other elders to partake in exercising; stressing that it is good for their health and it might prolong their lives.

Mr Killion Matshadzi, a Zimbabwean national said he is preparing himself for the upcoming Francistown Marathon. He said climbing the hill gives him stamina and he also wants to get used to the altitude of the city prior to the marathon.

Besides the hill being a complete and cheapest health advancing propensity, it is also a landmark that has stood the test of time providing terrestrial services for local networks both telecommunication companies and local radio stations and television.

It is also a spiritual place for some local churches and traditional healers who are often seen up the hill doing their activities and rituals. ENDS