How will life be without Mantshwabisi? It has taken 21 years of branding to associate the annual Toyota 1 000km motor event in Botswana with the small San village of Mantshwabisi, deep in the Kalahari Desert. Traditional followers of the event have come to identify it as Mantshwabisi, after the small village, which over the last two decades played the role of a joy spot to hundreds of spectators as well as drivers. As the overnight stop, Mantshwabisi hosted the "carnival' and it became the face of unparalleled joy in the wild. The name Mantshwabisi ceased to refer to just the small village but the event itself.
The annual event had branded itself as a carnival of sorts among its followers with the overnight stop providing the climax of those fun activities. In 2003, followers of the event extended the brand name, Mantshwabisi, to Nissan 4x4 type which won the race in style. Since 2002, Nissan has won the race five times, with Hannes Grobbler winning the race four times with Richard Leeke, and once with Francois Jodan in 2006. Nicknaming Nissan, Mantshwabisi was not a decision that was taken by the car dealers, or the race organisers but by those who held the car in high esteem after its exploits, thanks to drivers Grobbler and Leeke who ensured that the car started in pole position.
To date all types of Nissan four-wheel drive vehicles are revered as Mantshwabisi.
To say this is the race that branded Mantshwabisi the car into what it is today will be an understatement. To many workers who could afford it, the Mantshwabisi became a symbol of power and glory and the girls loved it.
One kwaito group even went on to compose a song about Mantshwabisi the car, describing it in superlatives. The song became a hit just like the car the group was singing about. A free marketing and advertising platform for the dealers had presented itself.
In recognition of this opportunity, Broadhurst Motors, who are dealers in Nissan 4x4, responded by giving the group, Kwaito Weapons, a Mantshwabisi. The popularity of the Nissan 4x4 vehicle here later led to several vehicles with bodies similar to Mantshwabisi also gaining popularity among car buyers. The makes included Isuzu and Toyota.
According to the Botswana Tourism Board, who are the new partners in the event this year, the overnight stop was changed so that tourists could learn more about other places of interest in the country and not just one spot.
Keitumetse Setlang, the spokesperson for BTB hopes that the new overnight stop of Lentsweletau would also empower the neighbouring villages economically. Interestingly, when the villagers at Lentsweletau were informed about the race at a kgotla meeting held on Thursday morning, all the speakers from the floor who commented about the event referred to it as "Mantshwabisi". They thanked the government for taking "Mantshwabisi" to them.
The Member of Parliament, Moeng Pheto had to remind them that the race is not called Mantshwabisi. " It was called Mantshwabisi because it was held there, stop referring to it as Mantshwabisi", the MP said. Mantshwabisi refuses to go and it looks certain that the name will continue for a long time to be used to refer to this fun event, no matter where the overnight spot goes.
