After all the controversy surrounding Board level corruption, maladministration and incompetence, the announced list of Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) Board nominees was eagerly anticipated.
The good news is that there is plenty of choice with 21 nominees for the 7 available Board positions including plenty of fresh blood amongst a handful of the usual suspects. I have grouped the nominees into three categories and provided some context below.
Dark Cloud looms over the compromised interim CMA Board nominees
Those under a dark grey cloud are the current interim Board members. This includes two Board members who allegedly obtained their positions by the ‘bussed in and bought votes’ – Celi Makhoba and Sweetname Nkabinde. Whilst neither provided a CV for the electorate to peruse, Makhoba has a particularly notorious history with the organisation which you can read about in the article below. On the other hand, Nkabinde is not a member in good standing (presumably because he has not paid his membership dues) so he should not be allowed to stand for election (but creative interpretations of the CMA constitution have been a characteristic of the interim Board).
READ MORE: Corruption, Maladministration & Incompetence: A Comrades Charge Sheet
Four of the others have been coopted onto the current Board. Despite standing for election to the Board at the 2023 AGM (having served as a member of the Board in 2022 and 2023), Pat Freeman was beaten to the appointment by Isaac Ngwenya by 9 votes. Freeman was subsequently coopted onto the CMA Board in February 2024, primarily as a result of her experience in overseeing the Comrades charities.
Busani Ndlovu, Grant Matkovich and Mahlaphe Tsama were coopted onto the Board by the five Board members who remained after the mass Board resignations which followed the ‘Vanillagate’ scandal and KZNA’s attempted ‘locals only’ coup.
Importantly, none of the four have earned their current positions via election and allegations have been levelled that, from the interim Chairperson down, those most pliable to the wills and whims of KZNA President Steve Mkasi have been appointed. According to insiders, Mkasi assumed control of the CMA Board in May and proceeded to coopt only those supportive of his views and leadership.
Mahlaphe Tsama, in particular, is a strange choice to be co-opted onto the Board as she ‘joined’ the CMA in August this year and was immediately seconded onto the Board. Tsama has never run Comrades and, under “Comrades experience” says, “I used to support my husband who is a Comrades runner.” This would mean that she is not eligible to join the CMA as she has not volunteered officially for Comrades but only to support her husband and running club.
In further intrigue, it appears that Tsama never actually joined the CMA. According to a well-placed source, “Mahlaphe Tsama does not appear on the list of 101 new membership applications (i.e. everyone who has applied between 30 June and October) that was put to the interim Board for ratification on 30 October. She is listed as a member not in good standing – in fact she is not even a member at all.” Coopting a non-member onto the Board is another truly diabolical and nefarious blunder from this interim CMA Board.
The big surprise on the list is Rowyn James remerging after the cutoff and race safety debacles that will forever be associated with the 2023 event. He obviously has had a change of heart as in correspondence in October he told me, “I’d moved on however so will not be discussing Comrades any longer.” James did however volunteer at this year’s route marking event held on 25 May and was an invited VIP guest on race day.
READ MORE: Where did all the runners go? The Comrades cutoff debacle.
In a social media post, former Race and Operations Manager (ROM) Ann Ashworth (who should know a thing or two about dealing with incompetent Board members) said, “Bear in mind: (a) members of the current board are largely supportive of KZNAs stance that membership to the CMA should be limited by the domicile rule; (b) members of the previous board who did not resign are complicit in the corruption and maladministration that permeates the organisation; and (c) those elected to the board should have demonstrable skills in terms of leadership, integrity and corporate governance.”
READ MORE: Has the Comrades Marathon been Captured (and why Ann Ashworth was fired)
The Comrades Collective
I received the attached press release this morning from an impressive alliance called the Comrades Collective. The group describe themselves as “a diverse alliance of skilled, qualified and experienced individuals united by a shared goal: to steer the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) towards a new era of professionalism, strategic and transparent governance.”
The ten names include Comrades legend Barry Holland, Comrades and international running legend Willie Mtolo, Mark Leathers (who has taken on various legal challenges for CMA members pro bono) and the former CMA Chair and Vice Chair, Mqondisi Ngcobo and Les Burnard.
Interestingly, considering all the well-founded allegations of systemic corruption within Comrades House, all ten have willingly submitted information for detailed integrity and background checks. To my mind, this should be a prerequisite for all candidates.
Under the ‘Our Goals’ heading in their manifesto, the following is listed:
- Help to shift the CMA Board’s focus from operational matters to ethical, effective leadership, providing oversight and support to the operational team. We aim to ensure the right people with the right skills are in place and held accountable.
- Provide strategic direction, including planning and marketing for the 100th Comrades in 2027 and beyond.
- Support and grow sponsorships while developing new income streams.
- Ensure long-term sustainability.
- Drive technological innovation.
- Strengthen legal, fiduciary, governance and risk management frameworks.
- Promote corporate citizenship and social responsibility.
- Reaffirm the CMA’s commitment to its core values: accountability, altruism, dignity, respect, integrity, transparency and unity in diversity. These values should guide all actions and decisions.
They further “aim to renew the culture of putting Runners First, focusing on the specific needs of athletes from all demographics and categories – elite, recreational, novice, Green Number, foreign and local, including those with disabilities.”
The group appears to hold the skills and have the vision to lead a Comrades renaissance.
The Independents
There are four independents: Solomon Mbatha, Premjith Ramsurrup, Philemon Bhekumuzi Nkosi and Graham Gertsch. I do not know much about any of them but will do a more detailed article on all candidates closer to the CMA AGM which is scheduled for 30 November.
Call for Information
If you have any strong opinions (positive or negative) about any of the candidates, feel free to direct message me or email therunningmann@gmail.com.
I have already received several tip offs including a candidate that appears to be a serial Comrades cheat and a former CMA staff member who was involved in financial irregularities. It seems that the CMA elections imitate the South African political landscape.
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You took the words right out of my mouth with your final sentence. But if the USA can elect a man like Donald Trump, and a convicted felon can enjoy good electoral support in KZN, then we can only sanity will prevail at the next Comrades AGM.
I hope only the one’s that put the runners first, competent, unifying different runners and administrators from all walks of life including provinces and having a vision to grow this important marathon are elected.
Hi Stuart
In my opinion both Mqondisi and Les belong to the first group as all the shenanigans were taking place on their watch and they, as chairman and vice-chairman of the board, did nothing about it.