by Silence Charumbira
MASERU, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- For three days this week, Tello Mahooe has a job. The resident of Ha Monyooe, a village near the Ha Lebamang section of the Roof of Africa off-road motorcycle race in Roma, works as a track marshal, earning 150 maloti (about 9 U.S. dollars) a day.
"We are happy to have the event here because some of us get piece jobs and get some money as we are not working," Mahooe said. He and fellow villagers have been deployed as marshals, cleaners and setup helpers for an event that, while little known outside motorsport circles, is among the most celebrated in off-road racing.
First held in 1967, the Roof of Africa is billed as the world's oldest hard enduro, a demanding form of off-road motorcycle racing over steep mountain tracks, rock faces and river crossings where simply completing the course is considered a major achievement.
Within the sport, it is widely referred to as the "Mother of Hard Enduro."
BORN ON "THE WORLD'S WORST ROAD"
The race takes its name from its geography. Lesotho, entirely surrounded by South Africa, is the only country in the world whose entire territory lies above 1,000 meters in elevation. The course climbs from approximately 1,400 meters to more than 3,000 meters in the Maluti Mountains.
The competition originated from an informal challenge. In the 1960s, road builder Bob Phillips constructed a route over the Moteng Pass in Lesotho's northern highlands and remarked to a friend, Louis Duffet, that he had built "the world's worst road." Duffet proposed holding a rally along the route.
The proposal evolved into an off-road race. In 1967, organizer Mike Reid dispatched the first group of participants from the Sani Pass Hotel, at the foot of the Drakensberg escarpment in South Africa, toward Maseru. Heavy rain resulted in few finishers, with South African driver Jan Hettema winning the inaugural event in a Volvo. Frequent wet weather during early editions earned the race the nickname "The Rainmaker."
Motorcycles joined the event in 1969, and over the following decades, the Roof of Africa shifted entirely to a motorcycle competition. Past winners include American Malcolm Smith in 1975 and Italian Elio Andreoletti in 1978 and 1981. South Africans Alfie Cox and Wade Young hold the record with nine victories each, with Young becoming the youngest winner at age 16 in 2012.
Today, the race covers 250 to 350 kilometers over three days and features four rider categories: Gold (elite), Silver, Bronze and Iron (entry level). The event has also gained international championship status. Last year's edition served as the final round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, while this year's event was moved to September as the sixth round of the global series.
"At the Roof of Africa, not everyone is expected to finish," said Mopeli Ntabe, chairperson of the Lesotho Off-Road Association (LORA), organizer of the event. "That is the nature of the race."
EXPANDING LOCAL PARTICIPATION
For Lesotho, the event serves as a major international showcase, but organizers acknowledge that public awareness across the host country remains a work in progress. Ntabe noted that several visiting government officials attended the event for the first time this week, underlining the need for broader local engagement.
"We need all the help we can get from the media to educate Basotho about what the Roof of Africa is," Ntabe said.
Historically dominated by international competitors, the profile of the race is gradually changing. This year, 11 riders from Lesotho entered the competition, marking a significant increase from earlier years when the country was represented by only a single competitor.
"A few years ago, the Roof of Africa was purely a white man's sport. Only individuals from South Africa would come in and enjoy the Roof of Africa," Ntabe noted. "But we have seen a change over the last couple of years, with more and more Basotho coming in."
Despite the progress, Ntabe believes local participation has the potential to grow much further. Given recent competitive performances, he estimated that Lesotho should ideally field 20 to 30 riders, noting that two local participants currently competing in the Silver class have the ability to step up to the elite Gold category.
HIGH BARRIERS TO ENTRY
The primary obstacle to broader participation remains the high financial cost. A competitive motorcycle costs approximately 150,000 maloti, while essential safety gear, including helmets and boots, requires an additional 25,000 to 30,000 maloti.
Factoring in fuel, logistics and mechanical preparation, total expenditure for a single participant can reach 200,000 maloti. Ntabe, himself an active rider, is unable to compete this year because of the financial demands.
"There is only so much that LORA can do," Ntabe said, adding that the association plans to begin reaching out to corporate partners next week to secure sponsorship for both the event and prospective local athletes.
Parents and riders feel the strain directly. Edward Nko spent over 60,000 maloti preparing his 15-year-old son for his event debut, only for the teenager's bike to suffer damage midway through the course after falling into a ditch.
"It is too expensive, and it would help if there was support for local riders," Nko said, while adding that the opportunity for his son to compete alongside elite international athletes remains an invaluable learning experience.
The physical and financial toll is felt across categories. In the Iron class, local participant Lesekele Hlaoli, competing in his third Roof of Africa, placed ninth in Thursday's time trial before slipping to 16th on Friday following a crash. "Tomorrow I will be out in full force, and I am hoping for an improved showing," Hlaoli said.
SEEKING A LASTING LEGACY
While the immediate economic boost from temporary employment and visitor spending is welcomed in host communities such as Ha Monyooe, local residents are calling for longer-term benefits that endure beyond the race weekend.
"We still pray that in the future more can be done to see that the event leaves some legacy, such as community projects," Mahooe said.
Chief among local concerns is the condition of transport infrastructure. Heavy traffic and harsh terrain during the three-day event often leave unpaved mountain roads damaged, a problem exacerbated by seasonal rains.
"After the event, the roads are left in bad condition, and when it rains it becomes worse," Mahooe said. "It would be good if organizers could at least assist in rehabilitating our roads." ■
