Tag: CMA

Posted on

PRESS RELEASE: CMA ‘supergroup’ to engage with the interim Comrades Board

Share:

After a series of legal letters and communiques from a diverse group of concerned Comrades stakeholders (including former winners, CMA Board members and Comrades legends), we are pleased to report two major developments:

1. The interim CMA Board has officially withdrawn its opposition to the High Court case due to be heard on 23 October. The case is a result of the urgent High Court interdict that allowed non-KZN residents to speak and vote at the Special General Meeting (SGM) in August after KZNA issued a ‘locals only’ edict for the first time in the CMA’s 43 year history. This is expected to save Comrades over R1 million.

Continue reading “PRESS RELEASE: CMA ‘supergroup’ to engage with the interim Comrades Board”
Share:
Posted on

PRESS RELEASE: Urgent Application for Court Interdict against the CMA / KZNA to be heard in Pietermaritzburg at 2pm today

Share:

Attorney Mark Leathers, a Director at Mc Naught and Company, representing over 100 Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) members will be fighting for the rights and voice of the running community at 2pm today (Wednesday 14 August) against a severely compromised Comrades Board and the dubious decisions of KZN Athletics (KZNA).

The CMA Board originally said it did not have the finances to hold a Special General Meeting (SGM) after a racist WhatsApp from Board member Zinhle Sokhela surfaced and the subsequent eruption of Vanillagate. However, CMA members (as per the CMA constitution) called for a SGM and specially asked for no food or drinks to be provided to save costs. The SGM is scheduled for 6pm on Thursday 15 August but the Board decided to provide food and drinks anyway. The Board also appears to have the money to waste of frivolous court appearances.

Continue reading “PRESS RELEASE: Urgent Application for Court Interdict against the CMA / KZNA to be heard in Pietermaritzburg at 2pm today”
Share:
Posted on

Cools & the Gang – Greatest Hits (A Comrades Communication Breakdown)

Share:

It is no secret that relations between the former Comrades Race & Operations Manager (ROM), Ann Ashworth, and the Marketing & Communications Manager, Delaine Cools, were frosty at best and openly hostile at worst before, during and after the 2024 edition of the race.

The previous article in this series detailed the conjecture and supporting evidence that Cools had been promised the ROM (or General Manager) job and went out of her way to make Ashworth’s tenure difficult. In some circumstances, this appears to have escalated to outright sabotage.

Continue reading “Cools & the Gang – Greatest Hits (A Comrades Communication Breakdown)”
Share:
Posted on

Why Ashworth was Fired Part III: Succession Shenanigans

Share:

This is a part of a series of articles on how Comrades was captured and why Ann Ashworth was fired. Despite support from the Chair, Vice Chair and Tier 1 sponsors, Ashworth’s contract extension was rejected at a Board meeting in June and her contract was ‘terminated with immediate effect.’ Ashworth believes that there were three main reasons leading to the Board firing her, this is the third.

Whilst reasons 1 and 2 are indisputable chains of events and facts, reason 3 does involve some conjecture (albeit with plenty of substance).

The two points of conjecture are that:

  1. Delaine Cools was promised the Race Manager position by the four “bussed-in and bought” (BIAB) Board members.
  2. Zinhle Sokhela was earmarked by the gang of four BIABs to be elevated as the next Chair of Comrades.
Continue reading “Why Ashworth was Fired Part III: Succession Shenanigans”
Share:
Posted on

Why Ashworth was Fired Part II: Cash and Carry On Regardless

Share:

This is a part of a series of articles on how Comrades was captured and why Ann Ashworth was fired. Despite support from the Chair, Vice Chair and Tier 1 sponsors, Ashworth’s contract extension was rejected at a Board meeting in June and her contract was ‘terminated with immediate effect.’ Ashworth believes that there were three main reasons leading to the Board firing her, this is the second.

It appears to be an open secret that Board votes are “bussed-in and bought” at the AGM. Prior to the November 2023 AGM, Ashworth was warned by a staff member that she was about to be “educated”.

Continue reading “Why Ashworth was Fired Part II: Cash and Carry On Regardless”
Share:
Posted on

Why Ashworth was Fired Part I: Kleptomania at Comrades House

Share:

This is a part of a series of articles on how Comrades was captured and why Ann Ashworth was fired. Despite support from the Chair, Vice Chair and Tier 1 sponsors, Ashworth’s contract extension was rejected at a Board meeting in June and her contract was ‘terminated with immediate effect.’ Ashworth believes that there were three main reasons leading to the Board firing her, this is the first.

After noticing that Board member Isaac Ngwenya would leave functions and events carrying armloads of beverages (sometimes even making return trips to his car) and that the Comrades House bar fridges were having to be restocked far more frequently than “reasonable usage” would dictate, Ann Ashworth (Comrades Race and Operations Manager), requested permission to put locks on the fridges.

Continue reading “Why Ashworth was Fired Part I: Kleptomania at Comrades House”
Share:
Posted on

How They Captured Comrades

Share:

Board members are elected by votes cast at the AGM. All Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) members in good standing are allowed to attend and vote for Board members at the AGM. The annual membership fee in 2023 was R50. This was raised to R100 in 2024 along with the updated eligibility requirement on the Comrades website to be, “either a Comrades Runner or Comrades Volunteer before applying for CMA membership”.

The official reason for doubling the CMA Membership fee was ‘to cover increased administration costs and member benefits’ but unofficially it is also understood to be an apparent attempt to make the buying of AGM votes more difficult. In 2023 it cost an estimated R6500 to capture Comrades (130 CMA memberships x R50). If the same game plan is followed in 2024, the cost is R13000 – still a bargain for the unscrupulous to extend their malevolent influence on the largest and richest ultra marathon in the world.

Continue reading “How They Captured Comrades”
Share:
Posted on

KZNA says “No More” to upcountry CMA Memberships

Share:

At a KwaZulu Natal Athletics KZNA (Board meeting) on 25 July, a decision was made to bar non-KwaZulu Natal residents from being Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) Members.

The meeting seems to have had only this item on the agenda and the discussion, in what appears to be a flagrant conflict of interest, was driven by KZNA President and Comrades Board member Steve Mkasi. The other main contributors to the discussion were Deputy KZNA President Mandla Mngomezulu and KZNA Board Member Vusumuzi Dlamini.

Continue reading “KZNA says “No More” to upcountry CMA Memberships”
Share: