Rethabile Pitso
VEHICLE insurance company Tracker Lesotho has boosted the wellness of its staff and clients by hosting a fitness day aimed at encouraging healthy living and promoting safety ahead of the festive season.
The high-energy event featured a 7km power walk from the Station area to Maseru West, an intense aerobics session, a health-check corner with blood donation services, and motivational talks delivered by health, fitness and financial experts.
According to Tracker management, the pre-festive season initiative served as a timely reminder about the heightened risks associated with the holidays, especially regarding road safety, finances and overall wellbeing.
Tracker Lesotho Managing Director, Lisema Masheane, said the event demonstrated the company’s commitment to instilling discipline among staff while extending the same level of care to clients.
“We are heading into the festive season, and our motto at Tracker is ‘to care and to protect’. We are living out those key words – care and protect – while people undertake trips this festive season.
“We want to remind our clientele, both existing and future, to ensure that they have taken care of the fundamentals before travelling: that their tracking devices and assist buttons are in good working order, that they know who to call when they encounter problems on the road, and that they have our contact numbers properly stored. With those things in check, we will be able to execute our mandate,” Mr Masheane said.
He added that hosting blood donation partners was intentional, considering the increased need for blood transfusions during the festive season due to a spike in road accidents.
“We invited blood transfusion services because we are aware that ahead of the festive season blood donation appeals spike. We see the statistics every year, and we wanted as a company to contribute meaningfully to the cause,” he said.
Mr Masheane further noted that the same spirit of care inspired the recent refurbishment of Tracker’s offices from an older building with minimal protection from the elements to a modern, comfortable facility.
Having rented the premises since 2015, Tracker bought its own property in Maseru this year, enabling long-overdue improvements. The upgrades include an extended roof covering the once open-air fitness centre where tracking devices are fitted.
Mr Masheane recalled that the decision to renovate was sparked by an incident in which he witnessed an employee working on a vehicle in the pouring rain.
“Before we extended the building, I remember one day it was raining heavily and one of our staff members, Thato, was working on a truck. I watched from my office window and realised we could not turn down clients simply because it was raining. Someone had to keep working under such unfavourable conditions.
“That was the day I realised our staff were exposed to all elements—sun, rain and wind—and that something had to be done. We also kept in mind our customers, who remain our number one priority. Some choose to wait two or three hours for their car to be fitted, so we needed to ensure the environment was comfortable for them.
“They now have an air-conditioned space with refreshments, Wi-Fi and television,” he said.
Speakers at the event, including TKO Financial Wellness and Advisory founder, Tokiso Nthebe, also urged Basotho to be mindful of their spending habits this festive season.
Mr Nthebe cautioned consumers against overspending and encouraged the use of budgets.
“There is no need to succumb to the pressure of buying expensive alcohol just because everyone else is doing it. There is no need to buy new clothes for every event. There is also no need to drive under the influence, because you may end up losing money trying to bribe your way out of the offence.
“To avoid falling into bad debt, this is the time to plan your finances wisely and allocate your money properly. I advocate for a better outcome next January,” Mr Nthebe said.
Brunch with Mami founder, Mamahlape Matsoso, encouraged individuals to consistently introspect on their wellness using a holistic approach.
She said many people find clarity and direction once they identify their life’s purpose.
“Your purpose is what makes you wake up in the morning. It is your daily intention. When you understand why you wake up each day, that purpose influences your overall wellness,” Ms Matsoso said.
Other notable contributions came from Maseru City Run representatives, local gyms New Moon and Misfit, as well as fitness coach Mavele.