Team Krag, Mpumalanga’s first 4×4 Club, hosted an off-road obstacle course event in Spin City on November 17 to provide 4×4 owners an opportunity to showcase their big boy toys and to introduce this popular sport to the area.

According to Team Krag’s spokesperson, Mazwi Sambo, the club was only recently established in the province and caters for anyone who has big-wheeled vehicles.

“We are planning visits across the province to ensure these events are well organised and to find more members. The fact is that every province across the country already has a club except Mpumalanga, so we are calling on 4×4 owners to join us,” he said.

Sambo said another reason Team Krag was established is the fact that 4×4 vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, even in urban areas, and are being targeted by criminals.

Members can assist one another in guarding their expensively modified vehicles, mostly bakkies and Jeeps.

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“Once we become a proper Mpumalanga family, we will have a social media group for when our members are hijacked or a vehicle is stolen and we will assist in locating it. We are also going to boost the local economy across all those regions we will be visiting, making sure our money is spent in that area. It would also provide locals with an opportunity to showcase and sell their products at the same time.
The club caters for women and most of these events are already popular with female drivers, some of whom have already joined.”

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One of the ladies holding her own in this formerly macho male environment, Kagiso Mpangane, said this is an extremely enjoyable sport, not just a game, and it creates safety awareness and builds brotherhoods and sisterhoods in communities.

The sport involves manoeuvring 4×4 vehicles safely through obstacles such as hills, rocks, mud and creeks.

At these events, driver and spectator safety is of paramount importance.

There are various accredited 4×4 driving course trainers across the country, as this sport is growing by leaps and bounds.

Team Krag’s next visit will be to Ohrigstad from December 13 to 15, and everyone is invited to join as spectators or 4×4 drivers.

The organisers also thanked those who either participated or supported this highly successful event.