MARATHON RUNNING - The 100th running of the Comrades Marathon will take place on 13 June 2027, according to Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie.
The assurance comes as entries for the historic race remain open, with runners preparing for what will be a milestone event in the history of the iconic ultra-marathon.
McKenzie said national and provincial government would support the event despite an ongoing dispute involving Athletics South Africa (ASA), KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA) and the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA).
“The 100th running of the Comrades Marathon must go ahead, and it will go ahead,” the Minister said.
Historic race
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 event will mark the 100th running of the race and the 50th running of the traditional down run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, finishing at the Kings Park precinct.
McKenzie said the necessary government support for the mass-participation road event would be provided.
He said responsibilities relating to event categorisation and safety certification under the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act, as well as municipal services, traffic management, policing and emergency services, fall within the mandate of the State and its authorised structures.
According to the Minister, these arrangements are separate from the current affiliation dispute involving the athletics organisations.
McKenzie has directed the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture to engage with the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government, eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality and Msunduzi Local Municipality to ensure that operational arrangements are in place ahead of the June 2027 race.
The Department will also work with organisers on preparations for the centenary event.
Dispute over affiliation
The dispute centres on the CMA's relationship with KZNA and ASA.
At its Annual General Meeting in November 2025, CMA members resolved to withdraw the association's status as a Special Member of KZNA and seek direct affiliation with the national federation.
According to the Minister's statement, ASA declined the request for direct affiliation and referred the CMA back to the provincial structure.
The issue was considered again at a CMA Special General Meeting on 1 August 2026, attended by more than 1 000 members.
A total of 694 members voted against re-affiliation with KZNA, while 338 voted in favour.
McKenzie said the CMA had indicated that it remained willing to work with both the national and provincial athletics federations.
The Minister's assurance follows an online meeting involving 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 was aimed at establishing the causes of the dispute, with the Minister saying he had heard the positions of the various parties.
Call to protect athletes from dispute
McKenzie has called on ASA and KZNA to provide assurances that runners, clubs and technical officials will not face sanctions for entering, participating in or officiating at the 2027 Comrades Marathon.
“I will not have ordinary runners used as hostages in a fight they did not start,” he said.
The Minister said the dispute should not affect athletes who have entered the race and are preparing to participate.
Focus on athletics governance
McKenzie described the dispute as an indication of broader governance challenges within athletics and said government would engage with relevant organisations to address these issues.
The Minister confirmed that he and the Department had engaged World Athletics at senior level in recent months regarding athletics in South Africa.
He said further discussions would involve World Athletics, SASCOC, MEC Khawula and the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government.
The Department said its approach would be to work within the existing international athletics framework while supporting efforts to address governance issues affecting the sport in South Africa.
“Our objective is to restore our federations to something the Comrades Marathon Association can be proud to associate with again,” McKenzie said.
Further steps regarding the governance dispute and preparations for the centenary race are expected to be announced by the Department in due course.
The 100th Comrades Marathon is scheduled for 13 June 2027, with the down run starting in Pietermaritzburg and finishing in Durban.
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