Solly Malatsi and Makashule Gana raise more than R350k for poor communities

DA Gauteng MPL Makashule Gana and former party spokesperson Solly Malatsi have raised more than R350,000 with a fundraising run to “keep children in school”.

The friends announced the initiative in June, revealing they would run 500km from Soweto in Gauteng to Tzaneen in Limpopo to raise funds for uniforms and sanitary pads for children living in poverty.

The campaign, called The Home Run, went off without a hitch and the pair clocked up 523km.

They did not raise the R500,000 goal by the end of the race but put out a request to supporters to help them reach their target.

The pair received donations from across the country, including from tinned pilchards brand Lucky Star and funeral insurance company Avbob.

Speaking on Facebook Live before the run, the two men said they were inspired to make a difference in their home villages.

“We are doing this to help children in our villages and surrounding villages,” said Gana.

“With our run, hopefully we will inspire pupils to take their education seriously and be able to escape a life of poverty.”

Malatsi said: “Young girls, who often miss school days during their menstrual cycle, can stay in school. As men, it is important to be part of the solution when it comes to conversations like these and try to find solutions for issues affecting girls and young women to study without any obstacles. That’s why we decided to do this.”