Khayelitsha Mountain Climbers Conquer Kilimanjaro

The Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) has welcomed Loyiso Koyana and Luwanda Mxosana, two mountain climbers from Khayelitsha, back to Cape Town at the Cape Town International Airport. They flew from Tanzania on flight BA6413 and were met by DCAS and their main sponsors Old Mutual, British Airways and Cape Union Mart at Domestic Arrivals at 11:45 on the 31 March 2011.

The pair, who successfully ascended Africa's tallest mountain, Kilimanjaro, is indeed a remarkable team and come from a township where, according to them, dreaming is considered a mere luxury as an increasing number of young people engage in anti-social activities that end up destroying their future. They undertook the mission in a bid to prove to other young people from the townships that despite the fact that they come from disadvantaged backgrounds, their dreams can still be achieved.

Mxosana is a third-year business administration student at the tertiary School in Business Administration, while Koyana is a student development officer at the same institution. The duo are raising funds that will be dedicated to paying school fees and buying school uniforms and stationary for schoolchildren in the townships.

Before their departure they joined Dr Ivan Meyer, Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, on top of Table Mountain in the New7Wonders campaign. DCAS successfully assisted with the facilitation of sponsorship and made the dream of these aspiring mountaineers come true. This will, in turn, translate into creating opportunities for those who would not otherwise have had similar dreams and opportunities.