Online Reporter
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
Zimbabwean cycling duo, Thandolwenkosi Tshuma and Vusumuzi Mnkandla, have pedalled their way to Jwaneng, the town renowned for hosting the world’s richest diamond mine in south-central Botswana.
After covering approximately 180kms from their previous stop, Botswana’s capital – Gaborone, the couple will enjoy a well-earned night’s rest at a lodge generously sponsored by a local well-wisher. Their journey was further sweetened with a lunch treat provided by a Zimbabwean resident in Jwaneng, offering the pair a warm welcome far from home.
The couple, en route to Namibia, is on an ambitious expedition from Zimbabwe to Nigeria. Their route follows a two-week Botswana tour, where they were treated like royalty, receiving overwhelming support and hospitality at every turn.
Upon their arrival in Gaborone, fans and friends turned out in droves to cheer the pair. The Botswana Tourism Organization (BTO) catered for their stay in the capital, while cultural organisation Sibanye, alongside local enthusiasts, organised fundraising efforts to aid the cyclists’ journey.
Support has continued to pour in from Zimbabwe as well. The couple recently received two new bicycles and essential travel accessories from Zimbabwe’s Deputy Minister of Tourism and Hospitality, Honourable Tongai Mafidi Mnangagwa, further fuelling their expedition.
With growing recognition as tourism ambassadors for Zimbabwe and the continent, Thando and Vusumuzi’s journey demonstrates the unifying power of sport and adventure. The generosity they have encountered ensures smoother travels, reducing worries over accommodation, meals, and safety, allowing them to focus on their ambitious goal of reaching Nigeria.
Expressing their gratitude, the couple acknowledged the support that has accompanied them thus far and encouraged well-wishers to continue following their journey across Southern Africa and beyond.
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derick.khumalo