Mohalenyane Phakela
MASERU — It’s a sport for the daredevils.
But for Lithebe Tlali, from Mabote in Maseru, car spinning and drifting have become second-nature to him. It now comes off naturally.
“I am passionate about car-spinning and drifting. I adhere to it as a sport, a form of entertainment and most of all it gives me the chance to meet with my fans and fellow participants,” he said.
“I presume it as a game which most youngsters are devoted to and when I was drawn to it I decided to give it a go.”
Tlali said spinning and drifting cars requires a lot of patience and practice.
He said the sport, which is relatively new in Lesotho, is facing a number of challenges.
“Being a good drifter takes profound discipline, passion, tolerance, good morals, a great sense of regard to the fans and co-workers, confidence and bravery, being cautious and mostly being sober-minded,” he said.
“For this game to be well established and executed, it depends on the type of vehicle that is being used. The cars have to be light to moderate rear-wheel-drive.”
He added: “But for me I use my BMW 325i box-shaped 1991 model (Gusheshe) to spin and drift.”
Tlali said maintaining the cars in good condition is a huge challenge because of the wear and tear. He said getting appropriate venues for shows has also proved to be a challenge.
Tlali said drifting cars had provided him with an “escape mechanism” from the major challenges facing the youth in Lesotho.
“Drifting has kept me busy for one has to always practice outstanding maneuvers. I am less oriented to pursue aspects which may be detrimental to our youth today,” he said.
“I am an extrovert and this was prompted by always being around people. I feel obligated to talk and share jokes.
“Drifting has boosted my self-esteem and confidence because I was privileged to perform with well-renowned drifters. I have rubbed shoulders with prominent figures and this made me more satisfied,” he said.
He said his parents did not at first approve his “profession”.
“They were a bit jittery about me exploring this avenue but with time and having seen my track record, they are seemingly supportive and proud of me,” he said.
He said he had to keep “ladies” at arms’ length to maintain his focus.
“Ladies sometime get too close but I treat them like fans and give them brief attention without any ulterior motives.
“I have quite a number of commitments so I wouldn’t want to jeopardise them by violating my principles,” he said.