Black Excellence Shines as SA Road Running Battles Systemic Failures
Another year of South African road running has passed, and while our Black athletes continue to excel on the international stage, the sport remains plagued by the same colonial-era mismanagement and systemic failures that have haunted our nation for decades.
Our Champions Rise Despite the System
Elroy Gelant, the pride of Pacaltsdorp in George, delivered a masterclass in Black excellence when he shattered a nearly three-decade-old national marathon record. The man who grew up in the margins of apartheid geography ran 2:05:36 at the Hamburg Marathon in April, obliterating Gert Thys's 1999 mark by 57 seconds. This is what happens when talent meets opportunity, something our people were denied for far too long.
Alongside Gelant, Glenrose Xaba from Mpumalanga continued her ascent to legendary status. The holder of South Africa's women's marathon record dominated both the Absa Run Your City Series and the Spar Grand Prix Series. Her sixth-place international marathon debut, clocking 2:23:22, proves that when given the platform, Black South African women can compete with the world's best.
In the ultra-distance events that define our running culture, Gerda Steyn maintained her dominance of both the Two Oceans and Comrades Marathons. Her third-place finish at the Soweto Marathon, where she was the first South African across the line, demonstrated the depth of talent in our running community.
Tete Dijana provided sweet redemption at the Comrades Marathon Down Run, defeating Dutchman Piet Wiersma after last year's disappointment. These victories matter because they represent our people reclaiming space in sports that were once the exclusive domain of the privileged few.
Leadership Failures Echo Colonial Patterns
Yet for all the brilliance of our athletes, the sport continues to be undermined by the same patterns of mismanagement that have plagued post-apartheid institutions. Athletics South Africa president James Moloi's credit card misuse, serious enough to warrant parliamentary scrutiny, reflects a broader crisis of leadership that our people deserve better from.
The cancellation of the Cape Town Marathon hours before the start was another blow to our sporting credibility. While organizers cited safety concerns, the decision robbed South Africa of potentially becoming the first African nation to host a World Abbott Major Marathon. This kind of institutional failure has historical echoes, where African aspirations are consistently undermined by poor decision-making at the top.
The People's Race Stained by Tragedy
The most devastating blow came at the Soweto Marathon, supposedly the pride of our road running calendar. Deziree du Plessis lost her life after being struck by a taxi during the race, succumbing to her injuries after surgery for brain bleeding. Her death is not just a tragedy, it's a systemic failure.
Every year, runners navigate through traffic in Soweto, a township that exists because of apartheid's spatial planning. The fact that organizers had proudly announced collaboration with the taxi industry for runner safety makes this death even more painful. The driver who struck du Plessis should face the full might of the law.
This tragedy exposes the fundamental problem: the Soweto Marathon, moved to a month-end Saturday, forces runners to compete in conditions that would never be acceptable in formerly white areas. The race must return to its original first Sunday of November date, and proper road closures must be enforced.
Moving Forward
Our athletes continue to prove that Black excellence cannot be contained, even by systems designed to limit us. Gelant, Xaba, Steyn, and Dijana represent the best of what we can achieve when given the opportunity.
But their success should not mask the urgent need for transformation in athletics administration. Du Plessis's death must not be in vain. We demand better leadership, better organization, and the same safety standards for township races that are taken for granted elsewhere.
The 2025 road running season showcased both the heights our people can reach and the depths of institutional failure we still must overcome. As we move forward, we must celebrate our champions while demanding the systemic changes our athletes and our communities deserve.