Category: MIL-OSI

Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has assured runners that the 100th running of the Comrades Marathon will take place on 13 June 2027, with the full support of national and provincial government.

In a statement on Friday, the Minister said government would ensure that the centenary race goes ahead despite an ongoing dispute involving athletics federations.

The assurance comes as entries for the historic race are open, with thousands of runners committing to the event and beginning their preparations.

“The 100th running of the Comrades Marathon must go ahead, and it will go ahead. Enter the race. Book your accommodation. Tell your family to come and stand on that road. This race has survived a world war and a pandemic. It is not going to be stopped by a disagreement between committees,” he said. 

The Comrades Marathon was first held in 1921 and has been staged every year except during the war years and the two years affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2027 edition will mark the 100th running of the race and the 50th running of the traditional down route from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, finishing at the Kings Park precinct.

“This race does not belong to a federation and does not belong to an association. It belongs to the people who run it, to the families who wait at the finish, and to the towns along that route who have built a hundred years of their identity around one Sunday in June. Nobody has the right to take that away from them, and this government will not allow anybody to try,” the Minister said. 

McKenzie said government would guarantee the necessary state support for the mass-participation road event.

He said approvals relating to event categorisation and safety certification under the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act, as well as municipal, traffic, policing and emergency services arrangements, are functions of the State and its authorised structures.

These arrangements, he said, are not dependent on the outcome of an affiliation dispute between federations.

The Minister has directed the Department to engage the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government, eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality and Msunduzi Local Municipality to ensure that the necessary operational support is in place well ahead of June 2027.

The Department will also work with organisers to make the centenary race the largest and best-supported Comrades Marathon in its history.

No sanctions for runners

McKenzie has called on Athletics South Africa (ASA) and KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA) to provide the assurance requested by the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) that no athlete, club or technical official will face sanctions for entering, participating in or officiating at the 100th Comrades Marathon.

“I will not have ordinary runners used as hostages in a fight they did not start. These are people who get up at four in the morning to train. They are not parties to this, and anybody who thinks of punishing them for entering a race will answer to me and to the public,” he said. 

The Minister’s assurance follows an online meeting with representatives of the CMA, ASA and KZNA, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture Mntomuhle Khawula, and the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).

The meeting sought to establish the causes of the dispute, with the Minister saying he listened to each party.

At its Annual General Meeting in November 2025, CMA members resolved to withdraw the Association’s status as a Special Member of KZNA and affiliate directly with the national federation.

According to the statement, ASA declined the request and advised the CMA that direct affiliation was not possible, directing the Association back to the provincial structure.

The matter was put before CMA members again at a Special General Meeting on 1 August 2026, where more than 1 000 members voted. A total of 694 voted against re-affiliation with KZNA, while 338 voted in favour.

The Minister said the CMA had not walked away from organised athletics and remained willing to work with the national and provincial federations.

“The Comrades people were very clear with me that they are willing to keep working with the national and provincial federations.”

Government to address athletics governance

McKenzie described the dispute as a wake-up call for Athletics South Africa, federations and government.

“This is a wake-up call – to Athletics South Africa, to every federation in this country, and to us in government too. Administrative dysfunction comes at a price. For years we have treated bad administration as an irritation, something we complain about and then live with. It is not. It costs you your biggest asset. When the organisers of the world’s oldest ultramarathon decide they are better off outside your structures than inside them, it is time to do deep introspection,” McKenzie said. 

The Minister confirmed that he and the Department had engaged World Athletics directly at senior level in recent months on athletics in South Africa.

Looking beyond the centenary race, he said the Department would pursue the underlying governance challenges in partnership with World Athletics, SASCOC, MEC Khawula and the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government.

“We intend to work closely with World Athletics on the solutions. They are the custodians of this sport globally and South Africa needs to remain a member of that family in good standing. Whatever is done to restore the administration of athletics in this country will be done with World Athletics, alongside them and within their framework – not around them, and not against them. Government is not trying to run athletics. Government is trying to make sure there is athletics left worth running.

“Our objective is to restore our federations to something the Comrades Marathon Association can be proud to associate with again. This was never about picking a winner between organisations. It is about supporting and growing athletics in South Africa, and athletics does not grow when the people who build things spend their year fighting the people who are supposed to support them,” the Minister said. 

The Department will announce further steps in due course. – SAnews.gov.za

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President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Monday deliver the keynote address at the Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) 75th Anniversary Gala Dinner at the Volkswagen plant in Kariega, Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape.

In a statement, the Presidency said the event will be held under the theme: “A Legacy in Motion: Honouring the past, celebrating today, driving tomorrow.”

The celebration marks 75 years of Volkswagen in South Africa and recognises the company’s contribution to the country’s automotive industry, economy, skills development and communities.

The first Volkswagen Beetle rolled off the production line at the Kariega plant, then known as Uitenhage, on 31 August 1951.

The plant was initially established in 1946 as South African Motor Assemblers and Distributors (SAMAD) for the local assembly of Studebaker cars and commercial vehicles.

Over the past 75 years, the Kariega plant has produced nearly 40 different models and built more than 4.8 million vehicles, with more than three million produced for the local market.

Today, the plant is the sole manufacturer of the Volkswagen Polo worldwide, exporting the model to 38 countries, while also producing the Polo Vivo for the local market.

Volkswagen Group Africa has also expanded its footprint on the continent, with assembly facilities in Kenya, Rwanda and Ghana.

The company remains a significant contributor to South Africa’s automotive manufacturing sector and to the economy of the Nelson Mandela Bay region.

Volkswagen Group Africa employs approximately 3 600 people and supports 1 440 suppliers, while its wider operations are estimated to support approximately 50 000 indirect jobs.

Since 2010, the company has invested more than R13 billion in its South African facilities, while its Corporate Social Investment investment since 1994 has exceeded R800 million.

“The objectives of the 75th Anniversary Gala include reflecting on Volkswagen’s journey and contribution to South Africa’s automotive industry, economy and communities; honouring the generations of employees, partners, dealers, suppliers and customers who have shaped the company’s legacy; and highlighting key milestones and achievements over the past 75 years.

“The celebration will also provide an opportunity to reflect on the state of the local automotive industry, including industry challenges, competitiveness, policy requirements and the future of manufacturing in South Africa,” the Presidency said. 

As part of the anniversary celebrations, Volkswagen will officially unveil a new vehicle model to be built at the Kariega plant, demonstrating its commitment to local manufacturing and future growth.

The event will also showcase Volkswagen’s expanding footprint across Africa and its strategy to develop sustainable automotive ecosystems and strengthen mobility solutions across the continent. – SAnews.gov.za

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The New Development Bank (NDB) and the South African Government have signed two loan agreements worth a combined US$405 million to support infrastructure projects in Limpopo, North West and Gauteng.

In a statement on Friday, National Treasury said the financing will support the Limpopo Central Hospital Project and the Magalies Bulk Water Supply Scheme, as part of efforts to advance South Africa’s sustainable infrastructure priorities.

The NDB will provide a US$200 million loan for the Limpopo Central Hospital Project, which involves the construction of a new 488-bed tertiary central hospital in Polokwane.

The flagship investment is expected to strengthen tertiary healthcare services, expand access to quality medical care and improve health outcomes for the people of Limpopo.

The province faces growing demand for tertiary healthcare services, ageing hospital infrastructure and shortages of specialised medical facilities.

The new hospital will provide modern and resilient healthcare infrastructure, equipped with advanced diagnostic, treatment and information technology systems.

It will also serve as the principal referral hospital for the province and increase capacity to provide specialised and advanced healthcare services.

The facility will further support medical education, clinical research and the training of future healthcare professionals.

Water security

The NDB will also provide US$205 million for the Magalies Bulk Water Supply Scheme, which aims to improve reliable access to drinking water and support inclusive growth in the North West and Limpopo provinces.

The project responds to severe water shortages affecting six local municipalities where current water demand exceeds available supply.

These municipalities are Bela-Bela, Modimolle-Mookgophong, Mogalakwena, Moretele, Moses Kotane and Rustenburg.

According to National Treasury, both loans have a maturity period of 10 years, including a four-year grace period, with an interest rate of daily SOFR plus 0.93508%.

The financing forms part of Government’s broader efforts to strengthen public health and water infrastructure.

National Treasury expressed its appreciation to the NDB for its continued partnership and support towards South Africa’s infrastructure development and long-term sustainable development objectives.

“The NDB’s project loans, together with financing secured from other multilateral development partners, have enabled Government to meet its 2026/27 foreign currency borrowing requirement of US$3.2 billion,” National Treasury said. – SAnews.gov.za

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Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga has expressed concern over the use of alcohol in an advertisement referencing the historic 1956 Women’s March.

In a statement on Friday, Minister Chikunga said the use of alcohol in the marketing campaign trivialises the historic and ongoing struggle of South African women for freedom, equality, dignity and justice.

She stressed that the Women’s March of 1956 was not a commercial slogan or marketing opportunity, but a defining moment in South Africa’s liberation history.

On 9 August 1956, about 20 000 women marched to the Union Buildings in protest against apartheid pass laws.

“The struggle of the women of 1956 cannot and must not be reduced to a marketing gimmick. Their courage, sacrifice and resistance were about freedom, dignity, equality and justice. 

“It is deeply concerning when that historic struggle is appropriated to sell products, particularly products such as alcohol that continue to have devastating social consequences for many women, children and families,” Minister Chikunga said.

The Minister emphasised that alcohol was never a symbol of the women’s struggle for freedom and should not be retrospectively presented as such for commercial purposes.

The whisky brand referenced in the advertisement has since apologised and removed the social media post.

As South Africa commemorates 70 years since the historic Women’s March, Chikunga said the anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on the gains made since 1956 while confronting persistent challenges that continue to undermine women’s safety, dignity and economic and social wellbeing.

She cautioned that the normalisation and glamorisation of alcohol consumption cannot be separated from broader social challenges facing South African communities.

Alcohol abuse and harmful drinking, she said, can exacerbate gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), family instability, child neglect, interpersonal violence and other forms of social harm.

“We cannot celebrate the courage of the women of 1956 while simultaneously commercialising and trivialising their struggle. The legacy of these women demands that we advance a society in which women are safe, empowered, economically independent and treated with dignity—not one in which their historic struggle is packaged as a commodity for profit,” Chikunga said. 

She said the 70th anniversary of the Women’s March must serve as a reminder that the freedom enjoyed by South Africans today was secured through sacrifice, courage and collective action.

The women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956, she said, were not fighting for commercial recognition or corporate branding, but for the liberation of a nation and the dignity of generations to come.

“We have a responsibility to ensure that younger generations understand that our democracy was not handed to us. It was built through struggle, sacrifice, courage and the collective action of ordinary South Africans, particularly women who stood at the forefront of resistance. 

“Civic education must therefore become a deliberate instrument for preserving our history, strengthening democratic values and ensuring that the sacrifices of those who came before us are never forgotten or reduced to commercial symbolism,” the Minister said. 

Chikunga said her department remains committed to ensuring that the legacy of the women of 1956 is preserved, respected and translated into meaningful action towards achieving substantive equality and advancing the rights and empowerment of women and girls. – SAnews.gov.za

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