MBOMBELA – Sibusiso Vilane is famous for setting off to the Himalayas in March 2003 on a quest to be the first black African to summit earth’s highest mountain, Everest.

On May 26 of that year he was successful, reaching the top from the southern side.

However his latest project has nothing to do with mountains and everything to do with water. Vilane plans to embark on an underwater quest with adventurer Matt Silver-Vallance in October next year. They will aim to complete the longest underwater walk in history, from Robben Island to Cape Town’s mainland.

Equipped by specialized technology , the subwalkers will be able to move freely under water (see Lowvelder of October 4 for full article on this new venture).

Rising to this new challenge, Vilane said he will employ the same four principles that always help him to rise to a challenge:

Believe in your natural talents
Take every opportunity to develop your talents because it would create a solid belief in yourself and not merely make you go forward on emotions. When I stood at 29 035 feet with clouds below me, I knew that a mere feeling would never have taken me there. You must believe in something solid in yourself like your abilities.

Do what it takes to change your mindset
When my British friend John Noble told me Mount Everest has never been climbed by an African, I had to tell him that in Africa we don’t think about climbing mountains in Nepal because we can’t afford it. I explained to him it wouldn’t make sense for my mother to pay for me to climb a mountain. He said to me: let’s take money out of the picture, would you then climb it? Before that I had no idea and I could not see the opportunity.You need to renew you mind all the time.

Be very sure why you want to do it
Why did I want to it? When you tackle challenges, it is important to know why you do it because that is what will eventually pull you through. I wanted to climb Mount Everest to do it for Africa. Africans have never done it. Going up the mountain and back down to base camp so many times, could have been demotivating. But that is how mountains are climbed and I could do it because I had a grip on the why. If you know the why you can face the how.

Self-discipline is a deal-breaker
You need to know and acknowledge to yourself that your life is not your team mate’s responsibility. In the team there were twelve of us from seven different nationalities with one common goal. We were supported by 20 sherpas. But when it is agonizingly painful and cold, nobody can get you through a cold night of 50 degrees below zero. You have only yourself to keep you disciplined, alert and focussed.I kept the discipline going by holding on to the fact that beyond suffering there is glory.