After cycling more than 12 000 kilometres across Africa, Zimbabwean couple Vusumuzi Mnkandla and Thando Tshuma received a hero’s welcome in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, over the weekend.
The Zimbabwean couple started the first season of their cycling journey in Soweto, back in April 2024. In their first season, they covered 9 300 Kilometres across 11 countries, including South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya.
In January 2025, they started their second season of cycling 2 948 kilometres across five countries (Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe).
A warm welcome for the Zimbabwean Couple
Cheers, music, and emotional embraces from family, friends, and cycling enthusiasts who had been following their journey onlinegreeted them upon their arrival in Bulawayo. For the couple, reaching home was more than a physical milestone. It was a moment of triumph after weeks of navigating some of the continent’s toughest terrains.
“We were not expecting that people would be celebrating us like this,” said Thando in an interview with The South African. She could not hold her tears as she thanked everyone who made their journey successful. ” We have learnt a lot through this journey as we now understand different languages and cultures. We also learnt new things about food.”
Perils encountered during the cycling journey
Their journey was not without danger. The cyclists admitted that they endured some of their most harrowing moments on the road. “There was a time I genuinely feared for our lives,” Vusumuzi Mkandla said.
“There was a time in South Africa, in the Free State. As we were descending a mountain road on a curve, Thando wanted to reduce speed. It was then that she realised the brakes were not connected. Fortunately, the downhill ended right after the curve.”
As the couple cycled along the roads, some reckless drivers nearly brought their journey to a tragic end. They also had to be aware of the lurking wild animals.
“I remember when we were cycling in Kanyemba, a game park in Zimbabwe. We would see lion footprints, and that would tell us a lion was close by. It was my scariest moment,” said Thando.
The couple is expected to resume their third season, which they believe will take place soon.
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