Page 20 - Thetha Issue 7

#MandelaUniversityGiving

LONDON

DAY 1
131km
PORTSMOUTH

DAY 1
Board ferry and cross
the English channel
overnight
to Caen in France

DAY 2
138km
DAY 4
CAEN PARIS Recovery, and chance
ÉVREUX to watch the end of
the Tour de France
DAY 3
138km

to coordinate group meet-ups. The three days to cycle from London to “I knew it was
small sporting community grew over Paris, covering a distance of 395km.
the pandemic to include members It included 3 197m of climbing going to be hard
in South Africa, Botswana, Australia and descents.
and England. Once in France, Bongela and her but it was not
Then, when lockdown lifted, squad quickly switched from riding on
Bafazi members were able to visit the left to the right side of the road, a race, it was a
each other’s cities and countries for soaking up the French countryside. tour – and I had
real-life cycling adventures. On their arrival in Paris, the South
African Embassy invited Bafazi for planned for it.”
Bonjour Paris lunch. The group was also able to
For Bongela, the pinnacle has been watch the final stage of the Tour de
the London to Paris trip, undertaken France from a spot on the Champs-
from 20 to 22 July 2023. Élysées, rounding up the experience
“What an incredible experience!” of a lifetime for the cycling enthusiasts. Bongela paid for the cycle tour
she says of the three-day tour. When people ask her how she itself from her own pocket and then
For a start, the South African and managed to cycle hundreds of asked friends, colleagues and family
Botswana embassies honoured the kilometres in only three days, Bongela to donate towards the launch of the
group by hosting them before they has a ready answer. Sports, Arts, and Culture Hub. This
set off on the epic journey. “My body was the last thing I has raised R12 000 so far.
Under the gaze of the large worried about because I put in the “This money will be used to look
London Eye, the peleton of 14 Bafazi work in preparation for the tour. I at where we can help – and this is only
women and two Bafazi-supporting knew it was going to be hard but it the start,” says Bongela.
men (Abalandeli), made its way south was not a race, it was a tour – and I Going into the future, the
to the coast before taking the ferry had planned for it. University plans to build the Sports,
across the English Channel to France. “I would definitely do it again … Arts, and Culture Hub, linking with
The Bafazi cycle group took we’re thinking of Spain or Italy!” existing hubs where this is relevant.

18 | Thetha Edition 7 | 2023