BY ERIC MATOME KGOMO
TAFELKOP: About 70 road running enthusiasts, including athletes from Tafelkop Village partook in the first annual Tafelkop Fun Run sporting event. The event took place on Sunday 21 March, with a different age group participants gathered at Kgoshi Rammupudu Sports Grounds in the morning. Mandla Mahlangu, Doctor Manyaka, Sello Motlafe and Nelly Skhosana, organized the fun run. Participants in the activity were catered in 10km, 21km and 42km distances. Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality Ward 28 Councillor, Girly Motlafe was among the participants. Speaking to the Timeless News , Mahlangu said the event was open to all people with a strict compliance to Covid-19 health and safety regulations. “We needed to make it a fun filled and family orientated programme to draw interests of all age group,” he said. He said the aim was to encourage the community to walk to stay healthy and fit, on the other side putting the community together and encourage them to take part in sporting activities. “We want to promote running as a competitive sport and send competitors from our village to partake in big marathons, probably in the provincial and national levels. We created this platform to unleash talent to our community,” he said. Mahlangu indicated that they feared that people will not be interested in the drive because of Covid-19. “The attendance was impressive, people are getting used to the new normal. We need to get fit even though we are facing with this indestructible enemy,” he said. Mahlangu said more sponsors will be approached to keep the initiative going in the near future. “We have realized the fact that some of the participants lack sporting attire which is worrisome. This is the reason we will be approaching local businesses to donate for those people to keep their involvement in the fun run programme, which is something they will look forward to and a motive to exercise,” he said. The winners were showered with gold, silver and bronze medals. Vleismark, Waltloo Meat and Chicken, Sweet and Snack, Pat Tolo Fruits and Vegetables and Monamudi G Manyaka sponsored the sporting event.
