There are only two days left for the 12 runners participating in Icon’s Journey Marathon to finish their 400 km Challenge, as they are expected to reach their destination (Nelson Mandela Museum at Bhunga Building in Mthatha), on Sunday, July 21.
This was confirmed by the founder of Icon’s Journey Marathon Challenge, Chief Vulithuba Sangoni.
He confirmed that he had decided to join the 11 runners, with the aim of celebrating his 40th birthday, this year.
According to him, he is the first Traditional Leader to participate in a marathon.
Sangoni said the Nelson Mandela Museum and Absa Bank had hosted a fundraising gala dinner at Bunga Building, in an effort to assist the 400km Iconic Challengers reach and exceed their target, last Friday.
“The aim was also to welcome the 400km participants.
“We started our challenge on Sunday, July 14, at Fort Hare University in Alice, touching Fort Beaufort, Whittlesea, Komani, Cofimvaba, Ngcobo, Clakerbury, Baziya, Mqhekezweni, Qunu and Qokolweni. We will then finish at Nelson Mandela Museum, Bhunga Building in Mthatha this Sunday,” said Sangoni.
He added that this Icon’s 4 Change, representing eight provinces, has taken on a gruelling 400km distance over eight days, broken down into seven consecutive 42,2km distances, and 103 kms on day eight, through the route declared by National Heritage Council as the Eastern Cape Resistance & Liberation Heritage Route.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nelson Mandela Museum, Dr Vuyani Booi, said that Nelson Mandela is an institution of cultural and social memory, in particular an institution of reflection.
He said the museum is a space of cultural expression and platform to fight against social injustice.
“If you look at our exhibitions, they are actually promoting that we are trying to prepare, in particular the learners, the young children, that they become the champions of social change tomorrow. This museum is the platform to plough a positive change in the society and this is the reason to continue to promote these programmes,” said Booi.
He added that in collaboration in particular with Icon’s Journey, this museum is inspired by the values of Nelson Mandela: the values of freedom, fairness, reconciliation, peace, and justice.
Booi added that it is his values that continue to underpin the work that they do, and continue to draw strength and wisdom from those values.
