GREAT HEIGHTS!

Sibusiso’s wisdom about goal setting

Sibusiso Vilane speaking at an event in Brooklyn.

“FIRST attempts don’t always succeed. Don’t let it get you down!”
These were the words of mountaineer and motivational speaker Sibusiso Vilane.
In 2003 he was the first black African to reach the top of the world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest.
Sibusiso was speaking in Brooklyn, Tshwane at the recent launch of a drug to treat digestive disorders.
He took the audience through the importance of inspiration and of being around people who shared the same motivation.
Sibusiso pointed out his team was made up of people from seven different nationalities, but their common goal was to reach the peak of Mount Everest.
“What was standing in front of us was a trophy that we all wanted, to spend time on the summit through inspiration,” he said.
He told the audience how he developed an interest in climbing mountains.

Sibusiso said it began when he was a ranger in Swaziland and met John Doble in 1996, who has since become his friend and sponsor.
“He asked me why there isn’t a black African who has ever climbed Mount Everest. John asked: ‘What if money was not the issue?’”
He said the conversation they had sparked an interest in him.
Sibusiso said climbing mountains has been a transforming experience and gives him inner satisfaction.
He has climbed each of the seven continents’ highest peaks.

Safety comes first!

Autopax CEO Tumisang Kgaboesele and acting CEO of the Road Traffic Management Corporation, Gilberto Martins at the Salvokop depot in Tshwane. Photo by Letlhogonolo Mashego

THE lives of over 14 000 people are lost on Mzansi’s roads every year.
This is according to Gilberto Martins, acting CEO of the Road Traffic Management Corporation. He said the corporation was open to any partnership with the stakeholders in the transport sector to reduce the death toll on the roads.
Martins made the call last week in Tshwane when he announced a road safety collaboration between the corporation and Autopax, which manages Translux and City to City passenger services.
He spoke about a shared strategic mission to offer safe, reliable transport to the public. Martins urged other companies to come on board too to create safer roads for the public.
Martins announced that monthly reports on the tolls on the roads would be released – and that boards with statistics would be put up to create more public awareness.

Autopax CEO Tumisang Kgaboesele said: “We have signed a pledge committing the company and employees to doing everything possible to ensure that we have safe operations.
“We will obey the rules of the road, and do everything possible to make sure that South Africans are transported in a safe environment.”

EMBRACING THEIR CULTURE!

Song and dance bring amaNdebele together

CULTURE brought different ­generations together at the weekend.
At a celebration of the amaNdebele aseNyakatho at Mahaneng in Tshwane on Saturday, children and elders in traditional clothes celebrated their culture.

At the colourful event there were stalls displaying traditional items such as pots, calabashes and home decorations. Various dance and music groups entertained the crowd.
Lesiba Kekana of the MaNdebele- ga-Kekana Heritage Foundation said the event was the result of a meeting in 2008 in which 13 Ndebele chiefs discussed their future.
They decided they should use their culture to empower people and create jobs.

“This land we are standing on was bought by our grandfathers through trading cows and having a vision,’’ said Kekana.
“We decided we also needed a ­vision. We must work for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”
Chief Kgomotso Kekana of the amaNdebele-ba-Lebelo said he was proud of his people’s vision and he was committed to uniting the amaNdebele.
amaNdebele-ba-Lebelo is one of the 13 groups under the Amandebele aseNyakatho.