06 Dec 2020

The Majwe AM570 cycling challenge has exceeded the P1.5m targeted funds to be distributed among beneficiaries in Jwaneng’s zone of influence. 

The race, which honoured the late Debswana managing director, Mr Albert Milton commenced on December 3 from Gaborone to Mahalapye and returned from Mahalapye on Friday ending in Jwaneng on Saturday. 

Beneficiaries included underprivileged pupils, empowerment of the girl-child as well as the fight against gender based violence.  

 Speaking at the closing ceremony on December 5, Majwe Mining Joint Venture deputy project director, Mr Caster Mothibedi said the challenge was one way of trying to look for alternative ways of ensuring that people in the zone of influence of the mine also benefitted from the diamonds.

“We know that there are many people around who could not benefit directly from the mine through employment, so we have to find a way of ensuring that they too benefit from the diamonds mined in their area and cycling was just one way of trying to ensure that,” he said.

Mr Mothibedi also appreciated the cyclists who volunteered for the good cause and said the cycling event was just a start of many good things to come. 

Jwaneng mayor, Ms Olga Ditsie appreciated the cyclists for sacrificing to raise funds for the needy.

“We are glad that you agreed to offer yourselves as living sacrifices, and because of that, someone’s life somewhere is about to change for the better,” she said. 

She also implored the organisers to look into making the event an annually occasion as a way of helping sustain the town when the mine finally reached its lifespan.

Ms Albertinah Milton said it was befitting to honour her husband, who was the managing director of Debswana at the time of his untimely passing.

“It is very good that his legacy is being continued the way he would want to keep living. In all the mines he worked at and even back at his home village, giving back to the community was his legacy,” she said.

Ms Milton also described her late husband as someone who easily connected with people of all walks of life and age. 

The area member of parliament, Mr Mephato Reatile pleaded with the organisers to ensure that the event was not a once off thing 

He said Mr Milton deserved to be kept alive through his legacy, which even spilled outside the mine’s zone of influence.

 “Milton had a way of looking at the world through the eyes of the poor and always knew how to assist,” he said.

The Albert Milton 570 km cycling challenge (AM570) came in the wake of the passing on of Milton in August last year and as a way of honouring him, his widow and Majwe Mining director, Rod Nixon faced off in a cycling challenge with the proceeds going towards upliftment of the underprivileged members of the society. Ends