19 Feb 2020

 KOMATSU gave Kgosi Malope cycling challenge a short in the arm by sponsoring the February 23's 60km challenge at the tune of P500 000.

Handing over the sponsorship money at Gaborone on February 18, KOMATSU social performance coordinator Nthabiseng Majafe said KOMATSU, a global company that manufactures mining and construction equipment, had always prided itself in giving back to the community.

“We are not new to sponsoring events and will always do if need be, even this past week we were sponsoring the GM Jwaneng cycling challenge,” she highlighted.

She said that giving back to the community was a mandate every organisation should take heed of.

Giving an overview of the Challenge, public relations officer Tiroyaone Khuto said that the cycling challenge was aimed at raising funds for refurbishing a historical site, MmaLekwa cemetery which is a resting place for some of the Bangwaketse royal family members, British settlers and soldiers, Lond Missionary Society clergy and administrators of the colonial era.

He said that they had a vision to turn the cemetery into a communal open park with a chapel, youth business resource centre, digital history library and a documentary viewing space.

“Over and above this, the activity is a driver for job creation as it will reduce unemployment, more especially for the youth,” he said.

He added that the event had in the past year enhanced cultural tourism and was a platform of social interaction for the sharing concepts through benchmarking.

Khuto said they were also aiming at creating partnerships between communities, corporate entities, the media and the country leadership to be able to have an economic bearing of benefits to the country.

“There is a common stereotype that cycling is for the elite alone, we are working on eliminating that because good health is for us all not only the elite,” he said.

Receiving the half million pula donation, Kgosi Malope II of Bangwaketse said the cycling challenge was a cultural preservation, community cohesion project and was meant to write a story of togetherness.

He said the plan was to use the donation wisely and accordingly in a transparent manner.

He said that over the past three years the challenge has proven to be growing against all odds and that not only the community of Kanye will benefit from it, but the entire nation.

The challenge, spearheaded by Kgosi Malope II, is scheduled to commence from Kanye’s Tomela house, then joins A2 to the Lobatse junction leading to the Trans Kalahari highway, then  head towards the Moshupa Roundabout, then join A10, which leads back to starting point via Sejelo T junction. 

 

The race will be conducted in honour of the Memory of the former General Manager of Debswana, Albert Milton, who was a staunch supporter of this challenge and its objectives. ENDS