Cycalive riders accelerate into the future

SUZANNE BELLING

Today, he refers to it as being “the most incredible week of my life”, and one that changed the course of his life.

In 2013, he joined Torah Academy dean and Great Park Shul Rabbi Dovid Hazdan, the originator of Cycalive, and other cyclists from Pace, Moletsane High School (also in Soweto), and Beth Shemesh in Israel. Together, they rode the 700km annual relay cycle ride from Johannesburg to Durban in a mammoth charitable effort.

It was while traversing the back roads to their destination that the charismatic Mngadi was inspired by those he met – people different from his fairly alienated township upbringing – to become a leader and apply himself to achieve.

“Cycalive operates in the spirit of togetherness and humanity,” says Mngadi. “Based on our differences, we are united on a mission,” he told people at the launch of this year’s Cycalive last Sunday morning, 28 July.

“When I cycled to Durban, it was [to realise] a vision. My legs were giving up, but I didn’t.” He said he was motivated by “a deep desire and hunger for education”.

It was this hunger that led him to getting a position soon after his initial Cycalive with South Africa’s Life Skillz Development Programme. The programme, Mngadi says, helps young people to become trained facilitators, and use their skills to educate, mobilise, and stop the spread of HIV/Aids in schools around Soweto using soccer as a tool.

By 2015, Mngadi had reached out to more than 1 000 pupils around Soweto, conducting life-skills sessions in schools.

In the same year, he got a coaching licence from the South African Football Association, as well as a facilitator licence from the Sports Science Institute of South Africa. He was later promoted to the position of community responses programme facilitator.

He also joined the Clinix Health Group as its brand ambassador.

In recognition of his achievements, Mngadi was last week awarded a bursary by Boston City Campus and Business College to further his studies.

Mngadi has done a lot of work to help young people find their path. And, he is certainly not the only young man who has been given a springboard to a successful future through one week on Cycalive.

As the 22nd Cycalive team took off on Sunday, Mngadi accepted the responsibility of finding other Cycalive alumni who have succeeded following the tour.

This year, the cycle challenge was joined by young cyclists from Orange Farm through Afrika Tikkun.

Cycalive left for Durban from the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory in Houghton. The cyclists were escorted out of Johannesburg by Steelwings and Rolling Thunder on their Harley Davidsons, and the Johannesburg Metro Police Department.

En route to Durban, they visited Newcastle Hospital, and the Ethembeni School in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal for students with disabilities, as well as various rural schools along the way, where they distributed care packages, including stationery and refreshments for patients and students.

The cyclists arrived in Durban on Thursday to a welcome from civic dignitaries and community leaders.

Cycalive aims to build bridges and form bonds among young South Africans, inspire ubuntu (compassion and humanity), and optimism for the future of South Africa. It also raises funds for much-needed education projects, highlights the importance of road safety – especially for cyclists –and encourages leadership, personal challenge, and self-confidence.

Torah Academy and Cycalive were recognised earlier this year by being awarded the Gauteng Premier’s Award for promoting racial integration through sports and recreation.