Constitution Flouted: More Bad Debts on the Way for KZNA?

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KZNA’s decision to oppose the High Court interdict securing all CMA members’ participation rights regardless of domicile is likely to cost the organisation around R500,000. The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA), on advice from their internal and external legal counsel, have already withdrawn their opposition unconditionally. In various media interviews, KZNA President Steve Mkasi has yet to provide a coherent reason for their opposition to the democratic process that has been followed at the CMA for 43 years without previous issue.

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The Idiots Guide to the Domicilium Rule (also applicable to KZNA & interim CMA Board members)

KZNA is trying to illegally make CMA membership 'locals only'.
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If you’ve been following the current Comrades saga where unelected officials seem hell bent on preventing members of the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) from exercising their democratic rights, you will no doubt have heard reference to the ‘Domicilium Rule’. The ‘Domicilium Rule’ rule is being used as the rationale for the ‘locals only’ decree that KwaZulu Natal Athletics (KZNA) and certain members of the interim (and largely unelected) CMA Boards are pushing.

The ‘Domicilium Rule’ seems to leave interviewers in the media perplexed (which is understandable since they are not experts on the subject) but that similarly KZNA and interim CMA Board members either do not understand the rule themselves or are deceitfully and dishonestly obfuscating its proper application and enforcement should be of grave concern to the running community and public.

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Corruption, Maladministration & Incompetence: A Comrades Charge Sheet

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One of the outcomes from the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) Special General Meeting (SGM) held on 15 August was the passing of a resolution for the appointment of an independent committee to investigate the Community Marshals Portfolio, and to report its findings to the board, which report is to be published to members. Furthermore, it was agreed that the investigation was to be conducted by a retired judge.

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KZNA Gets Another High Court Smackdown

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KwaZulu Natal Athletics, under the presidency of Steve Mkasi, suffered another embarrassing legal defeat today at the Pietermaritzburg High Court after trying to get the urgent interdict allowing non-KZN residents to participate and vote in Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) matters dismissed. In what can be seen as a victory for the democratic process, Acting Justice Khuzwayo ruled in favour of the CMA Members which means that the urgent interdict remains in place and all CMA Members can participate at the forthcoming AGM due to be held on 30 November.

The case between the CMA and KZNA returned to the high court this morning. The CMA Members, represented by attorney Mark Leathers and advocate Cas Pretorious (both of whom are Comrades runners), had originally received an urgent interdict on 14 August to allow non-KZN residents to attend and vote at the Comrades SGM which was held on 15 August.

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Cyber Bully to you CMA (and the sad state of journalism)

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If a politician were to claim that an election was rigged at a press conference, you would expect them to provide some proof. Should the politician continue along this line of rhetoric but fail to provide any proof they should be treated with disdain, derision and scorn by the media.

Our professionals in the media are no doubt familiar with the law of propaganda attributed to Nazi Joseph Goebbels (although it’s unlikely he ever actually said), “Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth”.

At a press conference called by the interim Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) Board on 26 August, interim CMA Chairman Jeff Minnaar used the term ‘cyber bullying’ repeatedly and began proceedings by reading a press release entitled, “Comrades Marathon addresses cyber bullying and harassment.

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

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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.

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

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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.

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

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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.

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Why Ashworth was Fired Part III: Succession Shenanigans

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

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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”.

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