By Lungi Langa
An uMsinga grandmother, 72, is collecting gold medals in marathons for the elderly while wearing her traditional women’s leather skirt, isidwaba.
Gogo Hawukeleni Mtolo, from uMzinyathi municipality district, says she runs wearing the skirt out of respect for her husband and for tradition.
Mtolo who recently scooped a gold medal in the athletic games aimed for the elderly, the Golden Games, says she does not see herself ever running without wearing her traditional skirt even though others think it is too heavy. She says ever since she started she has been wearing it.
“My husband asked me to only remove it if he asked me to do so. I run wearing it, and I have no shame about that. It is not heavy to me. It is my husband’s,” she says with a smile.
The grandmother of nine was representing KwaZulu-Natal in the games in Germiston, Gauteng, last week.
She has seamlessly come first each time there was a competition in KZN and did not let her fans down in the national competition.
“I beat them, while they were running in shorts. What some do not know is that you do not just take the traditional kilt off. For you to remove it means a cow has to be paid,” she said.
Mtolo’s fans gave her the name “Sidwaba soMyeni wami”, in reference to the kilt, and they chant this as a way of praising her when she is leading the others in the tracks.
She said taking part in sport has benefited her health. She says she is not afflicted by illnesses that are common in other elderly people.
This fits in with the aim of the games, which are meant to encourage the elderly to lead an active lifestyle in an effort to fend off non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart attacks and stroke.
Special programmes co-ordinator for uMzinyathi municipality district Sindi Makhoba said it was not easy to introduce the programme, as the elderly were not immediately keen to be part of it.
She said it was encouraging to see a grandmother of Mtolo’s age doing so well in the games and that the organisers hoped to see others taking part as well.
Pictured above: Hawukeleni Mtolo wearing her traditional attire
Image source: Supplied
