Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
The Beitbridge Mayor’s Anti-Litter Marathon was held for the 10th year running along the Beitbridge and Masvingo road yesterday to promote civic participation and a culture of keeping a clean and safe environment within the town and the highways leading to major towns in the country.
The event, a brainchild of Beitbridge town clerk Mr Loud Ramakgapola, has been growing bigger with each year attracting professional athletes from various clubs nationally.
Hundreds of athletes took to the starting line at the event which is a unique blend of sport and civic duty, raising awareness of the need to maintain a safe and clean environment within the border town and major highways leading to Bulawayo and Harare.
Stakes were very high as scores of athletes from all over Zimbabwe registered to celebrate the 10 years of running against rubbish, 10 years of community mobilisation, and 10 years of sending a powerful message, that a clean environment is a collective responsibility.
Delegates from various urban local authorities and the Musina Municipality from South Africa which has a twinning arrangement with Beitbridge are taking part.
Seasoned long distance runner Tatenda Hove on Saturday shrugged of a challenges from scores of other athletes to win the 10th edition of the Beitbridge Mayor’s Ant-Litter Half marathon that was held between Lutumba Growth point and the border town along the highway leading to Masvingo.
The race included a 21,1km race, 10km race, and a 5km power walk which all started along the Masvingo Highway and ended in the town’s CBD.
Hove was in the border town for the second time after coming second in a recent anti-drugs and substance abuse that was held in honour of Vice President Kembo Mohadi.
In second position was Mthokozisi Mhlanga followed by Jonathan Chinyoka who came in third position.
Annie Chirisa crossed the 21.1km finishing line first in the senior women category with Emelda Nyamusvosvo and Tatenda Chichangani in tow.
Veteran Peter Tumbare beat perennial contenders again, Millen Matende and Nkosiyazi Sibanda who came in second and third respectively in that category.
In the ladies’ veteran category, Niclah Gonah was victorious beating Vimbai Zanama who gave her a stiff challenge for the better part of the race.
Nicholas Mugomeri, Marko Mambo and Emanuel Toperesu finished in first, second and third positions in the men’s Masters category, while Stella Dokotera and Irene Chipwakanya were victorious in the females.
Beitbridge Municipality fire-man, George Maseko outpaced David Maphosa and Shupi Lazarus who arrived in second and third position in the men’s Grandmaster’s race.
Fortune Jani was crowned winner in the 21.1km Paralympics race.
“This is a milestone achievement for us as a local authority. We appreciate the support from the community and all stakeholders. We need to continually encourage each other on the need to keep a clean and safe environment. The town’s outlook should be in sync with the USD 300 million Beitbridge Border Modernisation project. In addition, we can achieve more as a municipality if we promote more civic participation in our way of doing business,” declared Beitbridge Mayor , councillor Peter Pirato Mafuta.
His counterpart from Musina, Councillor Godffery Mawela said the race was a milestone for the local authority considering that it has managed to change the community’s perspective on littering since they began a decade ago.
“This is something that we are considering adopting as Musina, we have learnt a lot and exchanged notes on a number of service delivery issues with the Municipality of Beitbridge. We share the same challenges and we are struggling with littering in Musina and we are taking a leaf from our counterparts,” he emphasised.
Beitbridge residents, businesses and transient population produce solid waste around 1 000 tonnes monthly while the local authority only manages to collect around 700 tonnes.
The shortfall manifests in unsightly litter, blocked drains and a threat to both health and tourism in a town that serves as the country’s busiest border post and gateway to South Africa.
