African Bank set to be announced as Soweto Marathon sponsor

The Soweto Marathon is going ahead this year with African Bank as the headline sponsor.

This is despite earlier pronouncements the race would have to be abandoned by some members of the Soweto Trust Board, who have since been suspended.

The launch of the 2023 edition of the “People’s Race” is scheduled for Wednesday morning at Sakhumzi’s Restaurant on Vilakazi Street, Orlando West.

TimesLIVE has been reliably informed that the board will announce African Bank as the new sponsors of the popular three-in-one — full marathon, half-marathon and 10km — race.

The race has been without a sponsor for a few years since Old Mutual pulled out of backing road running events such as the Soweto Marathon, Om Die Dam Marathon, Two Oceans Marathon and Comrades Marathon. But it would appear the new Soweto Trust Board announced by Athletics South Africa (ASA) and Central Gauteng (CGA) last month has been effective in securing a financial backer for the race.

Thokozani Mazibuko, James Masilo and Watson Shilembe came into the board after the suspension for two years of former chair Sello Khunou, Ishe Sadike and Pamela Tainton. The new parties joined existing members, CGA chair Steven Khanyile and Thulani Sibisi.

The suspended trio are appealing the ASA decision that came about after a dispute over television rights, a matter that is sure to be addressed at Wednesday’s launch.

ASA last year signed a broadcast deal with SuperSport to have most the country’s major races and national track, cross country and road championships beamed on the pay channel.

But the suspended trio felt hard-done by the decision, which they felt was not the prerogative of the national governing body.

Things came to a head late last year when the trust negotiated with the SABC to broadcast the Soweto Marathon, only for SuperSport to throw a legal spanner in the works. The race was thus not broadcast, even on the pay channel, and an independent company was also barred from streaming the race.

The board and ASA have been at loggerheads since then and at one stage Soweto running clubs received a memo from Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) warning them to desist from attending any meetings called by the trust members.

It was not clear whether the broadcast deal issue has been resolved but indications are that, with the new board seemingly in alignment with ASA and CGA, the race could be shown on SuperSport.

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