The changed face of Mantshwabisi

Forget about Generation Z, most millennials and those who came before would remember images of off road vehicles charging through the Kweneng district conquering rough, unforgiving terrain, the gruelling track in former host villages like Hatsalatladi, Metsimotlhabe, Kumakwane and Mantshwabisi. The race started in 1981 in South Africa as a marathon event in the then Donaldson cross-country championship, now South Africa Cross-country Championship Series (SACCS).

The event was moved to Botswana in 1992 for a better terrain. Before all Jwaneng and the brief stint in Selebi-Phikwe, the desert race used to start and finish right here in Gaborone at Game City. The race has the potential to inflict serious harm to the environment if it is run in one place for a long time. Therefore, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requires the race area to be changed every five years, which necessitates the need to look for alternative areas. The relocation of the host venue also provides continued interest in the event and new challenging terrain for competitors, which is in line with building a sustainable future for the race, attracting new entrants and retaining the loyal competitors.