Soweto Marathon must be nurtured, protected and expanded

It was a year-long battle in the courts and the media

- Kgomotso Mokoena

One of the most gratifying accomplishments of 2025 was that the Soweto Marathon finally took place and, according to those who participated, it was a success.

For an avid runner like myself, it was a huge relief that left a wide smile on my face. I also know that I am talking on behalf of other runners who were forced to miss the race due to protracted ugly spats that encompassed the event with only a few months leading to race day.

The historic race was enshrouded in so much controversy and scandals that threatened to ruin the marathon.

The minute the warring factions made their intentions clear-some even promising to harm runners and other participants, the race was just hanging by a thread.

It was just a yearlong battle in the courts, the media, and other social media platforms.

And so, for thousands of runners, registering and paying their hard-earned money to enroll for the race was seen as a waste of money and opted to miss the race.