Veronica Gwaze
Zimpapers Sports Hub
WHEN Rodrick Shumba purchased his first bicycle, a “Black Horse” imitation, in 2017, he never imagined it would transform his life.
The Gokwe-bred cobbler, who had relocated to Epworth in 2010 where he went into the brick-moulding business, had spent seven months saving towards the bike, just for easy and cost-effective movement.
Yet, months later, that same bicycle had turned him into Zimbabwe’s national cycling champion.
And this month, he proved it again when finishing third in the ninth edition of the Nedbank Great Dyke cycling race, held from November 5 to 7, a gruelling three-day, 337km charity ride along the mineral backbone.
The cyclists started from Selous to Kwekwe on the first day before they proceeded from Kwekwe to Shurugwi on the second.
The final day saw cyclists hitting the 84km distance from Shurugwi to Zvishavane.
Shumba’s 13-year-old daughter, who has inherited his cycling gift, also emerged top in her age group female race category at the same event.
While this may be just another race for cycling enthusiasts, for Shumba, it has become a race with a purpose.
The Nedbank Great Dyke cycling race is an annual charity event in Zimbabwe that raises funds and awareness to support underprivileged and gifted children.
Unlike a typical race, the Tour de Great Dyke promotes togetherness, wellness and appreciation of the country’s mineral-rich landscape.
The route follows the Great Dyke, a 550 kilometre geological belt that supports hundreds of thousands of livelihoods and forms the backbone of Zimbabwe’s economy.
It passes through Chegutu, Kadoma, Kwekwe, Gweru and Shurugwi, among other towns.
“In Gokwe they know me as young Rodrick who made tyre sandals — manyatera — for a living then coming to Epworth, I got into brick moulding and started saving up for the bicycle to avoid transport costs,” he said.
“I bought the bicycle for US$88 after negotiating and little did I know that it would be the beginning of a new life.”
A childhood patched together
Shumba’s life is a typical rags-to-riches story of a young orphaned boy who grew up in Kana, Gokwe, under the care of his uncle.
As he grew up, he became a journeyman of sorts, moving to Hurungwe, then Epworth, Harare, as relatives took turns to look after him.
“Growing up as an orphan in rural Gokwe, life was tough. I watched my grandmother take up odd jobs to bring food on the table,” he said.
“Sometimes, they would pay her with old clothes which she would patch up and clothe me. I would be in and out of school, hence I never got proper education.”
With no proper education, he embarked on a “fruitless” job-hunt, eventually settling for brick moulding to provide for his aged grandmother.
For seven months in 2017, he saved for a bicycle, which he only managed to purchase the following year.
He recalls getting into town and spending hours on end trying to find a cheap cycle before settling for the “Black Horse” imitation he got after negotiating.
Since that day, he avoided public transport and instead rode wherever he wanted to go.
“My friends would borrow the bicycle; they loved it,” he said. “Through WhatsApp, I then joined a cyclists’ group and started participating in some of their races.
“One day an advert was posted for the Great Dyke Cycling Competition, which was to be held a fortnight later and I decided to enter.”
Together with more than 100 other cyclists, Shumba rode his bicycle from Harare to Zvishavane and much to his surprise, he won a medal from the race.
That gave him hope, and he started entering various other cycling competitions. Just as he was getting to his feet in cycling, Covid-19 came and put a damper on his new-found passion.
As sporting activities went on halt, he would practise on his own whenever he was not moulding bricks.
It was at that time that he saved again and bought a BMX.
“I did not earn anything from cycling, so I had to continue with brick-making to provide for my grandmother. I sold my old bicycle and topped up with my savings to buy a BMX,” chuckled Shumba.
When sporting activities resumed in 2022, he signed for Tsvaira Cycling Club.
To balance his training sessions, he had to abandon brick moulding and take up a job at a local company as a security guard, doing night shifts.
That year he took part in the national competitions in Bulawayo and emerged top in the Masters Category and second in the Road Race.
By the end of the year, he had participated in various other competitions in Botswana, South Africa, Ghana, Angola, the United Kingdom and Scotland.
“I still don’t believe that a mere bicycle would open doors for me, from a young boy who wore a patched pair of shorts to school to a national champion is something I never pictured,” he said.
“Even my family did not foresee their son, a known cobbler and brick moulder, boarding a plane someday.”
Due to his weeks-long camps ahead of big competitions, Shumba had to resign from his job as a security guard.
“Now I work part time as a general hand at a local refrigeration company,” he said.
“I cycle out of passion; there are no financial benefits in cycling. I rely entirely on my job to provide for my grandmother, but my dream is to build a good home for her; my life revolves around her.
“However, I still have to work harder and find ways to earn more because cycling is for a cause, but it does not pay anything.”
