Charles Molapisi, the MTN executive who cycles for a purpose

Charles Molapisi, a 50-year-old executive at MTN, is known for cycling for a purpose. The bicycle is just a tool for him; the real journey lies in pushing his limits and using his experiences to help others. Born in a small village in Mpumalanga, Molapisi's childhood was marked by hardship, but he does not dwell on it. His mother worked as a domestic worker in Johannesburg, and he was raised by his grandmother.

Molapisi discovered cycling during the Covid-19 pandemic when a friend suggested riding bicycles around the estate. This led him to ride further and participate in various events, including L'Étape du Tour, an amateur event where ordinary cyclists experience one stage of the Tour de France. This event was his first taste of extreme endurance cycling, covering 170km and reaching a height of 5,400 metres.

Despite the physical and mental challenges, Molapisi found a new threshold of pain and boldness. He sees this experience as a revelation, emphasizing that difficult things are not necessarily impossible. After the pandemic, Molapisi found a platform for cycling - social responsibility. Through Ride for Hope, an initiative involving the Nelson Mandela Foundation and corporate partners, he has used his cycling to raise money and support causes.

He has refurbished schools in Soweto and the Eastern Cape. Most personally, he raised funds for a digital laboratory at his former school, Rankaila Primary School, documenting his journey on LinkedIn. This shows how cycling, initially a means of dealing with stress, has become a tool for positive social change in the village where Molapisi once grew up.