Fortress Running Series returns for final instalment of 2026 at Sterkspruit Plaza
The streets of Sterkspruit will come alive on Sunday 4 October when the Fortress Running Series, South Africa’s only road-running series targeting the country’s rural communities, makes its long-awaited return to the picturesque Eastern Cape town.
Nestled in the Maluti Mountains just over 20km from the Telle Bridge Border Post between South Africa and Lesotho, the race will once again provide a platform for local running talent, with athletes from The Mountain Kingdom and the Free State likely to join the field.
Founded by former Two Oceans Marathon winner Israel Morake and backed by Fortress Real Estate Investments which owns 41 convenience and commuter-oriented retail shopping centres across South Africa, the series makes its fourth and final stop of the year at the Sterkspruit Plaza following successful events in Thohoyandou, Vryheid and Evaton.
Just as the series has done in previous editions, the Sterkspruit event will provide an opportunity for emerging athletes from the area and surrounding rural communities to test themselves against established runners.
And having previously attracted athletes of international pedigree from Lesotho, including Kamohelo Mofolo, who won the 10km race in 2023 and went on to represent his country at the recent Commonwealth Games as well as Olympian Lebenya Nkoka, who won the men’s half marathon in 2023, finishing ahead of compatriot Khoarahlane Seutloali, who went on to win both the Two Oceans and Soweto marathons, the race will likely field some of the region’s most accomplished top runners once again.
Race director Dorah Mngwevu says the series’ goal, since its inception in 2018, has been to uncover the next generation of world class athletes and ultra marathon champions.
“These are rural areas, untapped in terms of talent. That’s where you will most likely find your future Comrades Marathon champion and your future athlete who will represent South Africa or Lesotho internationally,” says Mngwevu.
Mngwevu points to the likes of the late Zithulele Sinqe who rose from the rural Eastern Cape to become a two-time South African Marathon champion and two-time Two Oceans winner, as well as Olympic marathoner Jan Tau who hails from the Northern Cape, as examples of athletes from rural communities who rose to national and international prominence.
She believes taking athletics to communities such as Sterkspruit is not only about staging a race, but also about creating opportunities and exposing young athletes to the possibilities offered by the sport.
“I used to be the sports manager of Gold Fields Athletics Club, where I managed the likes of Jan Tau, Eric Mhlongo, Abner Chipu and Daniel Radebe. When I look at their history, none of them came from Sandton, and that’s why we need to go and find talent in rural areas,” she says.
Mngwevu believes experienced administrators like herself have a responsibility to ensure that children in rural communities are given the chance to discover athletics and understand how sport can potentially change their lives.
“If we don’t look for talent where the children are, they won’t know if there’s such a thing as running, which can potentially change their life. So it’s our duty and obligation, particularly for me as one of the most senior athletics administrators in South Africa, to go out there to educate, bring and identify talent and expose athletics to our communities.”
She also expressed her gratitude to Fortress for embracing the initiative and helping take competitive road running to communities that are often overlooked by mainstream athletics.
The Fortress Running Series embodies Fortress’ commitment to supporting the communities surrounding the areas where they operate their shopping centres. Vuso Majija, Executive Director of Fortress Retail, explains that this event is just one of many ways in which Fortress Real Estate continues to give back to its customers. “We put our customers first by providing a safe shopping and lifestyle space. Our centres play an important role in our customers’ lives: we offer convenience, value for money and improve their quality of life by bringing modern services closer to them.”
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