Siphelele Nketo 

AS part of celebrating Women’s Month, Matat Supporters’ Crew took a 20km mountain walk behind the Mountain View in Matatiele last Saturday, August 8.

The walk brought together more than 50 participants to experience the magnificence of the area and reflected on various topics affecting women. One of the organisers, Pretty Kanetsi, said the walk was aimed to promote physical fitness while commemorating Women’s Day and raising awareness on gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide.

“The main objective was simply to exercise and commemorate Women’s Day. We also wanted to create an opportunity to talk about the importance of rising above GBV and femicide and encourage people to stand together against these challenges,” she said.

A participant, Lonke Thamae, said such initiatives provide healthy spaces for people to interact while promoting awareness and respect towards women.

The Matat Supporters’ Crew consists of passionate sports supporters who rally behind sporting activities and teams in and around Matatiele.

Crew member Amanda Kalaku said the group supports local teams because of its strong sense of community. She further said supporting local sport goes beyond attending matches, as communities also have a role to play in contributing to the growth and development of local sporting activities.