Half-marathon off to a running start

History will be made when hundreds of runners pound the streets and back alleys of Khayelitsha this Sunday September 4 during the Khayelitsha inaugural half-marathon, hosted by Khayelitsha Athletics Club at Mandela Park Stadium.

The race was launched by the speaker of the Western Cape provincial legislature, Masizole Mnqasela, on Tuesday.

Organisers said planning for the event is going full steam ahead and that the plans have seen a major overhaul to ensure the safety of all participants.

The race will have a 21km run, a 10km run/walk and a 5km run/walk.

During the launch, Mr Mnqasela, flanked by one of the organisers, Voox Sonandzi, and elite runner Sibusiso Madikizela, spoke about the role of sports in fighting social ills and the fact that Khayelitsha is a crime-ridden community.

Mr Mnqasela said the race amplifies the attitude of those who live in hope for a better life. He said sports acts as a catalyst for improved education outcomes among youth, crime fighting and social cohesion, as he encouraged young people, and challenged local businesses to join and participate in whatever way they could.

“The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development underlines the growing contribution of sports as a tool for peace in its promotion of tolerance and respect. It also highlights the contributions that sport can make to the empowerment of communities, to individuals (particularly women and young people) as well as to health, education, and social inclusion,” Mr Mnqasela said.

He also highlighted the country’s national development plan for 2030 – “therefore we will participate fully in efforts to liberate ourselves from conditions that hinder the flowering of our talents”.

He said more specifically, sports offer an important opportunity for building life skills of at-risk youth that allow them to better cope with daily life challenges and move away from involvement in violence, crime or drug use.

Mr Sonandzi said: “We are hoping to attract those who took part in the Comrades Marathon, and runners from Khayelitsha.”

He said crime has made it difficult to promote Khayelitsha, however, their desire is to break those stereotypes. “We know it is not safe, but we cannot relax and do nothing about this situation.

“We are happy that Mr Mnqasela has endorsed this race.

“We have also joined hands with the neighbourhood watches, community policing forums, and the police in making sure that the race is safe,” said Mr Sonandzi.

Elite runner Sibusiso Madikizela said he is looking forward to the race on Sunday, and that he is expecting to be among the top three. “Winning will be a bonus,” he said.

Mr Madikizela started running in 2002, when he was in primary school. His dream is to take part in the Commonwealth Games and 2024 Olympics and in major marathons in future.

Online entries for the half-marathon have closed but there will be limited entries available on the day.

Follow Khayelitsha Athletics Club’s Facebook page.