The TDR popularly known as Mantshwabisi, is a South Africa Cross Country Series competition and forms the third and fourth rounds of the Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa (TGRSA) championship and the Botswana Motor Sport (BMS) national championship. Through a statement released today, the owners of the race, SACCS announced the return of Mantshwabisi to Jwaneng after a three-year absence. The race will be held from June 23 to 25, 2023. “After three years of not competing in Botswana, the TGRSA 1000 Desert Race will return to the diamond-mining town of Jwaneng for Round Three on 23, 24 and 25 June. This will be the only marathon event on the calendar.
The Debswana Jwaneng mine is the richest diamond mine in the world and the historical Desert Race was hosted in Jwaneng from 2014 to 2018. Competitors can look forward to be welcomed back in Botswana by local supporters, and to the biggest sporting event on their calendar,” a statement from SACCS reads. The TDR had been moved to Selebe-Phikwe from Jwaneng in 2019 and the north-eastern town was to hold the three editions of the race. However the outbreak of Covid-19 saw the 2020 edition cancelled while the 2021 and 2022 editions were held in Upington in the Northern Cape of South Africa.
