'Comrades teaches you about yourself' - Makhi takes home Spirit of Comrades Award for Sub-Halala Bus
Revered around the world as the biggest, oldest and most famous ultramarathon, the Comrades Marathon is also loved for being a pioneer in recognizing the contributions of everyday, ordinary runners as much as they do the achievements of the top runners. Since 1996, the 100-year-old 90km race has hosted an annual Spirit of Comrades Awards Gala dinner to celebrate the exceptional qualities of selflessness, dedication, perseverance, and Ubuntu that define the spirit of The Ultimate Human Race. This year's event which took place at the Southern Sun Elangeni Hotel on Friday 18 October and was sponsored by the Government Employee Medical Scheme (GEMS) honoured three individuals who have lifted the race with their acts of service, sacrifice, courage, and perseverance.
Klaus Neumann, Estienne Arndt and Shahieda Thungo were the three recipients of The Spirit of Comrades Award. Neumann who has earned 28 medals since he first ran the race in 1993 is the Comrades Brand Ambassador for Germany, while Arndt who completed his first Ultimate Human Race in 1979 not only ran the 1987 race in flip flops to raise funds for Little Eden, but also holds the honour of being the first amputee to finish the Comrades with a prosthesis after a motorcycle accident threatened to end his Comrades career.
But of the three Spirit of Comrades Laureates, Thungo's us likely to be the most celebrated for the sheer number of Comrades hopefuls that she has helped to cross the finish line. Makhi, as she is affectionately known in the running community ,is the much-loved driver of the Comrades Marathon 12-hour bus, which she has delivered on time on six occasions, with her best time being 11:48:55 in 2023.
The finisher of seven Comrades Marathon races, Makhi has not only used her running to help others but as a means of overcoming depression when the loss of her husband almost robbed her of her sanity. "Comrades is the one journey that gets you to experience and learn a lot about yourself. It teaches you patience, resilience and mental fortitude. Most importantly it teaches you about ubuntu - about sharing, caring and just how equal we all are."
In addition to those that were honoured for their spirit of selflessness that is the hallmark of South Africa and the world's most loved ultra marathon, the awards also recognized the contributions made by tireless fundraisers and members of the media. For using the 2024 Up run to raise almost R200 000 for his charity of choice the Community Chest, Durban native Mahes Ratanjee was named CMA top fundraiser, while veteran football, boxing and athletics writer Matshelane Mamabolo who himself has three Comrades medals took home the Comrades Journalist of the Year Award.
Ratanjee says the loss of his child is what motivated him to start running Comrades for a good cause. "My wife, Ashmita, and I continue to suffer the loss of our daughter, and we’ve since been dedicated to providing care wherever possible to children. Donning the red Superhero cape in support of the Community Chest’s Early Childhood Development program enabled me to run my Comrades with a greater purpose."
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