Absa recently partnered with Vault Strength Club (VSC), a leading Johannesburg-based running community, to champion youth entrepreneurship, wellness, and community connection through an early morning event in Sandton. 

We spoke to VSC co-founder Tebogo Mahange about the event and collaboration. 

What was the exact gap you saw in Johannesburg’s fitness landscape that made you say, “We need to build this”?

Tebogo: The biggest gap wasn’t fitness. It was belonging.

There were plenty of places to train, but very few spaces where people from different backgrounds could genuinely connect without feeling judged or needing to fit a certain image. I wanted to create something where showing up was enough. Whether you’re running your first 3km or training for a marathon, everyone starts in the same place.

VSC® was built to remove the barriers that stop people from moving and connecting with others.

You’ve often emphasised that VSC® is a movement, not just a workout. How did you intentionally design the club so that running becomes a catalyst for professional networking, friendship, and personal growth?

Tebogo: Movement is simply the starting point.

The real value happens before the run, during the conversations, and long after everyone finishes. We’ve seen friendships form, businesses collaborate, people find mentors, training partners and even job opportunities simply because they decided to show up on a Saturday morning.

We intentionally create an environment where people spend time together instead of just exercising together. Running becomes the common language that brings people into the same space.

Fitness and running communities can sometimes feel elite or intimidating to newcomers. What specific steps does VSC® take to ensure the environment remains non judgemental, inclusive, and safe for everyone?

Tebogo: From day one, we’ve made it clear that no one gets left behind.

We offer multiple route options so everyone can participate at their own pace. Our captains are there to support and encourage rather than compete. We celebrate consistency over performance, and we make a point of welcoming first timers because we know how intimidating that first run can feel.

Creating a safe environment isn’t just about physical safety. It’s about making people feel seen, respected and comfortable enough to come back.

When Absa approached VSC® for the Youth Month programme, what was it about their “Seeing Opportunity in Every Story” philosophy that resonated with your own values?

Tebogo: What resonated with me was the belief that everyone’s journey matters.

At VSC®, we meet people from different walks of life every week. Some are entrepreneurs, some are students, some are rebuilding their confidence, and others simply want to improve their health.

Everyone has a story, and sometimes all they need is an opportunity or the right environment to unlock their next chapter. That’s something both VSC® and Absa believe in.

What feedback have you received from the community, and how did this event elevate the traditional running club experience?

Tebogo: The biggest feedback was that people felt inspired beyond the run itself.

The conversations around entrepreneurship, resilience and opportunity added another layer to the experience. It reminded people that wellness isn’t only physical. It’s also about mindset, ambition and community.

Events like this show that a fitness community can create meaningful conversations that extend well beyond exercise.

The core focus of this partnership was celebrating young entrepreneurs, creators, and changemakers. Why is it important to use a physical wellness space to unlock conversations around youth ambition and resilience?

Because movement breaks down barriers.

When people run together, titles disappear. Everyone is simply working towards the same finish line. That creates a genuine environment for honest conversations.

Some of the best ideas, partnerships and friendships happen after a run because people are more open, more present and more connected. That’s why wellness spaces are such powerful places to talk about ambition, resilience and building the future.

VSC® has grown fast, expanding into major activations, merchandise lines, and high profile brand partnerships. Where do you see Vault Strength Club five years from now? Are there plans to scale this model to other cities across South Africa?

Tebogo: The vision has always been much bigger than running. It’s about movement. It’s about community. It’s about connection. It’s about building something that genuinely impacts people’s lives.

Over the next five years, I’d love to see VSC® in cities across South Africa, throughout Africa, and eventually collaborating with communities around the world. Growth isn’t just about opening new chapters. It’s about partnering with people and brands that genuinely believe in movement, wellness and community.

We’re building towards more than weekly runs. We’re working on larger wellness experiences, destination events, meaningful brand collaborations, merchandise that reflects the culture we’ve created, and training facilities where people can move, learn, recover and connect every day. We want to create spaces that people are proud to be part of, no matter where they are in the world.

We want VSC® to become a platform that brings together fitness, wellness, creativity and entrepreneurship under one community. If we can continue creating spaces where people improve their health, build meaningful relationships and discover new opportunities, then we’ve achieved what we set out to do.

With everything we’ve set out to build, and everything we’re continuing to create, our goal will always remain the same: to show the world that this is the best community in the world. That’s what Strength in Numbers stands for. It’s more than a tagline. It’s our mission, and everything we do is driven by proving that people are always stronger together.