MASERU - Being raised by a single parent is quite challenging, but Tumisang Taabe is one of a few people who managed to survive those awkward circumstances and scaled to the top.
news
Aug. 27, 2020
TEBOHO JAFETA
4 min read
A well-established sports businessman, Taabe
The 38 years old Taabe was born and bred in Khubetsoana, on the outskirts of the capital Maseru to the late ’Matumisang. He is the third child in a family of five.
His love for bicycle goes a long way. As a young boy growing up on the dusty streets of Khubetsoana, he used hire bicycles from his peers to ride because his own mother could not afford to buy him one. That however, did not interrupt his love for cycling; instead he actually fell in love with bicycles the minute he was able to ride comfortably. During his days at Hoohlo primary where he did his primary school education, he rode less because he had limited access to bicycles.
He however started to ride competitively in 1997 while he was pursuing his high school education at Khubetsoana High School. As his cycling skills improved, he entered many local youth competitions and started winning medals and trophies in numbers. He then competed in several international races across the border in South Africa where he brought back a lot of silverware.
Taabe became the national champion five years running and later represented Lesotho at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia alongside fellow countrymen like Poloko Makara, Khotso Ntsema and Moeketsi Makatile amongst others, even though he did not complete his race. He is the former president of the Lesotho Cycling Association currently known as the Federation of Cycling Lesotho (FCL).
Taabe, who is now a well-known sports businessman has established three bicycle shops in Maseru where he repairs and sells bicycles.Through community engagement, he has so far donated about 3 800 bicycles to various people in the nine districts of Lesotho and is only left with Thaba-Tseka.
“I donate bicycles because I realised that they are a scarce commodity in Lesotho and I also want to remove kids from the streets,” he says.Some of the donated bicycles are from Tumi’s Bikes’ friends - Mike’s Bikes based in the United States of America (USA). Others were donated by the American Peace Corps, who once served in Lesotho working on projects in both the education and health sectors.
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Taabe has not only been a rider and a competitor, but he is shrewd businessman who saw an opportunity to turn his passion into a sustainable business. His now famous business called Tumi’s Bikes was established in 2006.
He started coaching children and adults how to ride bicycles in 2008. As a coach, he has trained among others police officers, ministers, teachers, school children and soldiers to properly ride and take care of their bicycles. Some of his learners also include elderly people. Taabe recently received a $1000 US dollars’ appreciation award from an overseas organisation called Lara Lee Organisation for
the good community service he does. Taabe formed various cycling clubs such as KTA cycling club, Tumi cycling club and ’Nelese cycling club. He also trained several well-known cyclists even though lack of financial support hinders most of the cyclists’ progress. “Lack of financial support is still a challenge to some cyclists,” he says. Taabe who is still an avid cyclist is not planning to retire anytime soon as he wants to encourage his trainees through demonstrating how to ride for victory during competitions.
He has trained children from various schools such as Maseru Preparatory School, American International School and Kaycee as well as Living and Loving English Medium in Ha Foso.
Over the years, Taabe has competed in several races - for instance in 2008, he finished fifth in the National Championship Elite Road race and upgraded to the third position the following year. He finished second in the Tour de Lesotho in 2010 and also appeared in third position in the National Championship Elite Road race.
In 2011, he finished fourth in the National Championship Elite Road race and then won first position in stage 1 at the Lesotho Sky Mountain bike Stage Race held in Malealea, Mafeteng. He also appeared second at the Lesotho Sky stage 2 Mountain bike Race in 2011 before winning the stage 3 of the same competition in Roma.
He finished second in the Lesotho Sky stage 4 Mountain bike Race in 2011 and also won the Lesotho Sky stage 5 Mountain bike race the same year. He finished second in the Lesotho Sky Stage Mountain bike stage 1 race in 2011. He then finished fourth in the Lesotho Sky mountain bike race in 2012.
Taabe is married to two wives and has three children. His successful bicycle repair and sales shop is located in Mapeleng, Ha Mabote in Maseru. The diminutive rider might not have brought a major gold for Lesotho in premium competitions, but to many cyclists, he is a true legend and an inspiration to most young talent; that’s why they call him ‘Tata Mk’hulu’.