Humorous Anecdotes, Observations & Accounts of Marathon Running & Agile Adventures.
Documentation has emerged that the Central Gauteng Athletics president, Karabo Mabilo Thobakgale, was debarred from the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) by ABSA Bank on 14 November 2022 as she “Does not comply with personal qualities of honesty and integrity”.
On 17 July Central Gauteng Athletics issued a statement indicating that Soweto Marathon prize winners could expect to receive partial payment of their prize money. The Daily Maverick reported that the source of the “limited funds” were from “the 2024 Soweto Marathon [that] are currently available and are being held by the Gauteng Sports Confederation (GSC).”
The CGA statement also stated, “Although the available funds are insufficient to settle the outstanding prize money in full, CGA has committed to facilitating the distribution of the available funds to affected athletes as soon as reasonably possible, while continuing its efforts to secure payment of the outstanding balance”
However, almost two months after that statement (and approaching a year after the race itself) no athlete has seen a cent of any prize money.
Executive Summary: AGN and CGA announced the cancellation of the 2026 City to City Marathon due to lack of sponsorship. However, Plus27 Events attempted to rescue the race by proposing to take on the full financial and operational risk, offering AGN and CGA either 20% of proceeds or a guaranteed R300,000 fee, plus their normal levies and broadcast rights.
Provincial officials delayed meetings, failed to respond timeously, arrived unprepared and eventually countered with an unrealistic demand for R600,000 plus 10% of sponsorship revenue on top of 20% of the proceeds. Two weeks later, AGN and CGA tried to accept Plus27’s original offer, but by this time it was too late to organise the 2026 race safely and professionally, leaving cancellation as the only viable outcome.
On 17 August, a joint statement from Athletics Gauteng North (AGN) and Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) announced that the City to City Ultra Marathon, Gauteng’s premier ultra, was cancelled for 2026. The official word from AGN and CGA was that this was due to a “lack of sponsorship”. However, I have received documentation that the real reason is the usual greed and incompetence from athletics administrators.
Continue reading “The Real Reason City to City was Cancelled: Greed & Incompetence”This is the Texas Chainsaw Massacre of marathons – connoisseurs of pain, horror and gore will love it whilst the weak and squeamish will hate every minute.
People are very liberal dishing out advice when you’re 21. When I was 21, I migrated upcountry from a small cliquey, seaside village called Cape Town to the metropolis of Johannesburg – and received plenty of unsolicited advice. Most of it I either completely ignored or quickly forgot. However, the one piece of advice I took to heart and still apply 20 years later (probably because of the gravity with which it was delivered) was, “Stick to the north of Johannesburg. You can’t go wrong in the north of Johannesburg. But whatever you do – stay clear of the south!”
Two decades is a long time to survive in Johannesburg – overall I have come through relatively unscathed, I’ve only had one car stolen and have avoided most of the pitfalls one associates with life on the highveld (like being hijacked, mugged or becoming a Lions supporter). I attribute much of the success of this survival strategy to heeding the above advice – and, other than for weddings and marathons, I have avoided the south of Johannesburg like KPMG avoids due diligence. Just like in Game of Thrones, people of the north need to limit the amount of time they spend in the south if they want to survive!
Continue reading “Jackie Gibson Marathon (Where The Hills Have No Name)”