Two months after suffering a devastating robbery at the hands of knife- wielding thugs, Elite athlete Sibusiso Madikizela, returned to the road running for a charitable cause.
He was accosted while jogging along Baden Powell, stabbed in the face, the robbers took his running shoes and watch but now Madikizela refuses to let the incident demoralise him.
“I am happy that I survived , I am healing emotionally and physically from the scars of that moment,” said Madikizela.
It was during the healing time that Madikizela planned a 6km fund-raiser to help families with food parcels.
Madikizela roped in his sponsor Under Armour, who supported his ‘’lockdown” 6km run around Khayelitsha’s Mandela Park Stadium on Saturday and raised R7800 to purchase food parcels for six families.
“These are families of young athletes who belong to running clubs in Khayelitsha and I did this because I know during this time many people are suffering,” said Madikizela.
“I just want to thank Under Armour for their contribution and the athletes who supported us on the day,” he said.
Top coach Chris Bruwer held a pep talk with the juniors, encouraging them to follow role models like Madikizela.
“We must commend Madikizela who is himself not earning during this pandemic, but was able to think of needy families and approached his sponsor on their behalf,” said Bruwer.
Fellow top runner Busi Matiwane said it was generous of Madikizela to do this.
“He is an inspiration to many of us,” said Matiwane.