Nsibande eyes strong performance at Mangosuthu 52km

With less than 48 hours to go to the seventh edition of the Prince Mangosuthu Ultra Marathon, Msawenkosi Nsibande, a contender, is confident that her Comrades Marathon fatigue is behind her leaving her ready to tackle the challenging 52km distance. Runners are set to converge on northern Kwazulu-Natal to participate in the race which will be run between the towns of Nquthu and Dundee on Sunday 16 August scheduled for Sunday, 16 August where Nsibande will be one of those taking aim at the R100,000 winner’s prize purse.

"I'm going to run Prince Mangosuthu after I missed it last year. It's not my first time though because I ran the race in 2024. It's my first ultra marathon race after I ran the Comrades Marathon," explains Nsibande who clocked 7:26:41 to earn a third Comrades silver medal on 14 June.

Nsibande in action at the 2026 Comrades Marathon. Photo Credit: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development.

The race named in honour of the late Inkatha Freedom Party founder and leader Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi was postponed in April after the Umzinyathi District Municipality, a key sponsor, encountered financial challenges. Nsibande considers the race's staging to be positive news, as it serves as a gauge for athletes seeking to become accomplished Comrades runners.

"I'm very pleased that the race is going ahead after it was postponed earlier this year. As an ultra distance runner, the introduction or more ultra events in the KwaZulu Natal province is crucial for me because they form part of my Comrades Marathon preparations.”

The 32-year-old who hails in Manguzi, in the northern part of the province, ran the Fortress Vryheid Run a fortnight ago as a preparatory event, where she secured a second-place finish in the 10km race as she tested her leg speed. Nsibande has welcomed the increase in the number of road running events in northern KZN, describing it as a welcome financial relief.

Nsibande used the Fortress Vryheid Run as part of her preparation for the Prince Mangosuthu 52km Ultra Marathon. Photo Credit: Fortress Running Series.

"In my area, athletics is not as popular as football. There are few athletes but they end up leaving the sport due to lack of support," said Nedbank Running Club athlete.  "To participate in races you have to travel a lot. I'm happy that more races are taking part in the Zululand district, because travelling to races especially in Durban where most races take place, costs a lot of money."

Nsibande, who placed fourth at the 2024 Prince Mangosuthu Ultra Marathon, is confident that a top-ten finish is within her reach. "Since I'm coming from Comrades, the important thing is to test my legs and see my fitness level over a long distance. I'm aiming for the positive outcome. I can guarantee you that top 10 is on the cards.”