Tinaye Agere
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 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, were taking part.
Seasoned long distance runner Tatenda Hove shrugged off a challenge from scores of other athletes to win the half marathon that lasted between Lutumba Growth Point and the border town.
Online Reporter