New date & increased safety- africanbank and City of Joburg back Soweto Marathon to go ahead on 29 November

Organisers of the 2025 africanbank Soweto Marathon say the safety of all participants is paramount and they will do everything in their power to ensure the success of this year's event. The statement comes in the wake of safety and security concerns raised by runners after some members of the Soweto Marathon Trust insisted that they would go to any lengths necessary to prevent the race for taking place, unless the title sponsor recognised them as the rightful owners of The People's Race. But City of Joburg MMC for Community Development Tebeho Nkoukou, said the Johannesburg Metro Police will be deployed to the Nasrec Precinct on race day and are ready for any eventuality. 

Thousands are expected to take part in 10km, 21km and 42km on 29 November. Photo Credit: Action Photo.

Nkounku was speaking at the launch of the 30th edition of the africanbank, which took place at the Soweto Theatre this morning (17 September), where africanbank Chief Marketing Officer Sbusiso Khumalo was present to reaffirm the bank’s commitment to the jewel of Soweto’s road running calendar. Accused of corporate skullduggery by disenfranchised members of the SMT who allege that africanbank - by working with the newly registered Soweto Marathon NPC - are condoning what amounts to a coup of the event, Khumalo argued that they are still working with the same people that they started working with when they first sponsored the race in 2023, adding that the bank’s primary concern is the welfare of the participants.

“Money that is made in Soweto, leaves Soweto. It probably only circulates once in Soweto. If the money that’s made in Soweto could circulate four times, it triples the economic value. This is a race about the people and the economy of Soweto. We want money coming from outside of Soweto to stay in Soweto and that’s what over 30 000 people who decided to run the race do for Soweto. Africanbank was founded because of economic challenges. In the 50 year history of africanbank we’ve had many ups and downs. We’re not sponsoring the Trust, we sponsoring the people who run. They are our customers, we’re saying thank you.”

The launch took place at the Soweto Theatre in Jabulani which is situated at the halfway mark of The People's Race. Photo Credit: CoJ Media.

With the headline sponsor and the City of Joburg having given the event their stamp of approval, it was left to Soweto Marathon Race Director Danny Blumberg to inform the road running public of the date change. Blumberg confirmed that because of a clash with the G20 Summit at the Nasrec Expo Centre which is the host venue, the event will not takes place on the usual first Sunday in November. 

“Everyone’s used to the first Sunday of November being for the Soweto Marathon. We were thrown a major curveball with G20 Summit which needs the whole of the Nasrec precinct to be in lockdown. We were instructed that our event cannot happen on that day. We then found the 30th of November as a solution. We were all systems go for the 30th, but then it was brought to our attention that it clashes with Nation Prayer Day. So we’ve decided to shift it to Saturday the 29th of November.”

From Left: ASA Road Running Chairperson Enock Skosana, africanbank Soweto Marathon Race Director Danny Blumberg, africanbank CMO Sbusiso Khumalo, africanbank Head of Brand Marketing, Zinhle Zulu, CoJ MMC for Community Development Tebeho Nkoukou, Soweto Marathon NPC Spokesperson Jabu Mbuli. Photo Credit: Jacob Mawela.

Entry fees for all three categories are now open – and runners will undoubtedly welcome the news of the retained 2023 prices namely R380 for the marathon; R300 for the 21.1km and R280 for the 10km. To enter, runners are encouraged to visit www.sowetomarathon.com. The prize money remains equal for both the male and female categories, with the top prize awarded to the 42.2km Open winner set to take home R250 000.