Langa Bicycle Hub brings positive change to poorer communities in Cape Town
“What I enjoy about riding a bike is cutting down the barriers of accessing these communities."
South Africa is currently dealing with a high unemployment rate.
Mzikhona Mgedle is one of the people who lost his job in 2020 and had to come up with a solution to still ensure that he can put bread on the table.
After being retrenched, Mgedle founded the Langa Bicycle Hub, an initiative that has helped poor communities in Cape Town.
Mgedle explains that he developed a love for cycling many years ago, but cycling in Cape Town was not easy.
“The road signs and highways made it difficult for people to cycle,” Mgedle told Beautiful News.
“Not knowing where I was going, I remember riding on oncoming cars. I had some challenges where I was knocked off while riding, trying to navigate, getting robbed, getting stoned and chased."
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He then decided to use the challenges to help other people like him who might want to cycle but struggle.
Using the #Bike2Work initiative, Mgedle helped create a route from Langa to various neighbourhoods around Cape Town for cyclists to use.
Bicycles also offer those who cannot afford to buy cars a reliable means of transport.
“What I enjoy about riding a bike is cutting down the barriers of accessing these communities,” Mgedle told the publication.
The proud cyclist adds that there are many benefits to cycling.
“Seeing the city with naked eyes without a windshield, exploring different communities, navigating my own routes, taking my time to get to a place, connecting with so many people along the way, when I'm on a bike it’s like I’m in a therapy session,” he told the publication.
His initiatives have also helped the unemployed get work. Some of the people he has helped now use their bicycles to deliver medication and food around the different locations in Cape Town.
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