Pietermaritzburg businessman Con Malherbe is the first cancer survivor to take on the Cape Epic to raise R250 000 for the Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa).

“We’ve not had a cancer survivor at the Cape Epic ever before,” said Lellani Geduld of Cancer Active, a sub-brand within Cansa, to The Witness.

The subsidiary of Cansa promotes participation in activities that they love: Walking, running, cycling, swimming or going wild and ask their contacts to help you raise money to support cancer patients and loved ones, by making a donation towards their participation in their chosen event and to their online fundraising project.

Cansa Active promotes exercise and sun-smart living

“The Cansa Active campaign promotes regular exercise and physical activity while being sun smart and leading a healthy, balanced lifestyle with the end goal of lowering your personal cancer risk.

“A lack of regular exercise and physical activity; being overweight or obese; combined with unhealthy dietary and lifestyle habits, for example, tanning, smoking and drinking alcohol, may increase your personal risk of being diagnosed with cancer,” said Geduld.

Cansa Active invites everyone, regardless of fitness level, from pre-schoolers to great grandparents; fitness enthusiasts; serious athletes; sport groups or clubs; family and social joggers; runners; walkers, cyclists, swimmers and adventure sport enthusiasts to get moving towards better health.

Charities benefit from fundraising

Local cancer charities that Cansa Warriors Malherbe and Jared Hinde are fundraising towards include the Hayfields Care Home and the Cansa Mkhuhla Care Home in Durban.

Last year, Rodney Reynders from Umhlanga, who, like Malherbe, is a cancer survivor, took part in the Absa Run Your City Durban 10km event.

Cape Epic manager shares brutal reality of race

Johann Klindt, who manages the Cape Epic teams that ride for Cansa, is himself a survivor of two Cape Epics. Although fortunate enough not to have suffered cancer himself, he is doing the job ‘to buy my way into heaven’.

The challenge, dubbed ‘The Untamed’, took him to hell. That’s how he described the race after the euphoria of day one. “The first day, it’s unreal, a new reality. The sixth day is not such fun. You doubt yourself in that 45°C heat. You don’t even say a word to your partner. You just look at each other.”

But afterwards, there are tears of joy. And more euphoria, Klindt recalled.

“If someone asks ‘will you do it again next year?’ You’ll say ‘YES!’ But if asked a week later, you’ll think differently.”

Four seasons in one day

Adding to the challenge is the extreme weather conditions. “You can get four seasons in one day on ‘The Untamed’,” Klindt added.

“There was ice on top of Groenlandsberg in 2019. On the descent, people suffered hypothermia. An hour later it was 46°C heat. It’s hell, but it’s a bucket list thing. It teaches you a lot about yourself. One unwritten rule among those who have done it, you never ask someone their position. If you finish, you’ve got grit.”

Motivation from a hospital visit

A different hardship motivates Klindt to raise money to fight cancer. “I went with [former Springbok rugby player] Breyton Paulse on a hospital visit, where we saw a 10-year-old cancer patient. His last wish was to pass a rugby ball in the hospital. I am firm believer that if you change one person’s life, you’re headed in the right direction.”

Riding for those lost to cancer

For Malherbe, he is riding for all those who have lost the battle to cancer. “In the toughest times [during the Cape Epic], it’s the people who have been lost to this evil disease who are going to motivate me.”

So far, R11 000 had been raised and at least R5 000 pledged. To donate to Cansa Warriors, visit here.

• The 2026 Absa Cape Epic will take place from March 15-22

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