The centenary celebrations for former president and “father of the nation” Nelson Mandela will wrap up in Pretoria, Tshwane on Sunday, December 9, 2018, with the annual Mandela Remembrance Walk and Run. Hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, together with the province of Gauteng, the 2018 Walk will begin and end at the Union Building. The route will be wheelchair accessible.
It will follow the Nelson Mandela Liberation Route – a tourist attraction that boasts various heritage sites linked to the former president’s political history – and will consist of a 21-km half marathon, a five-kilometre walk and a 10-kilometre run. Sello Hatang, CEO of The Nelson Mandela Foundation, says: “We want to encourage people from all walks of life to come out in their thousands to participate in the Mandela Remembrance Walk and Run.”
Faith Mazibuko, Gauteng MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, adds: “The Gauteng Province is honoured to have played a central role in former President Nelson Mandela’s centenary celebrations. This event will honour his commitment to justice, equality and a non-racial South Africa. We are urging people to come out in huge numbers to be part of this very special occasion.”
The entry fee is R50 for the five-kilometre walk, R100 for the 10-kilometre run and R150 for the 21-km half marathon, which will offer prize money of R5 000 for the elite runners in each age and gender category taking on the 10-km and 21-km route. All participants will receive drawstring bags from Lotto containing a Lotto shirt, cap and other goodies.
People with physical disabilities can participate free of charge. Wheelchair tennis champion KG Montjane will be participating in the ten-kilometre race with her wheelchair!
Read more about Montjane here.
There will be loads of entertainment for the kids and child minders will be on hand to look after them. There will also be food stalls, a musical concert on the lawns (for which an exciting line-up will be announced soon), fitness and boxing displays and plenty of fun for all.
Race numbers for the run will include chip timing for the pro runners.
Participants for the walk and run can enter online at www.mandelawalkandrun.com or in person at Sweatshop Centurion & Dunkeld, Runaway Sports in Pretoria, Orlando Community Centre in Johannesburg or the Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria.
The start times are: 07h00 for the 21-km race, 08h00 for the 10-km run and 09h00 for the five-km walk. There will be a wreath-laying ceremony in honour of Madiba at 08h15.
All proceeds raised from the entry fees will be donated to The Nelson Mandela Foundation to help it continue to preserve and promote the Madiba legacy. Other sponsors are the City of Tshwane, ASPEN Pharma Care, Lotto, Jacaranda FM and Independent Media.
For more event details and to register for the event, go to www.mandelawalkandrun.com or follow the event on Facebook at MandelaRW, Twitter at mandelarw or Instagram at Mandelawalk.
You can further celebrate Mandela’s life by downloading the Madiba’s Journey App and visiting some of the sites that formed part of his life or join in the Global Citizen Festival by taking action. Download the App here: http://www.madibasjourney.southafrica.net/#features. Learn more about the festival here: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/festival/south-africa/.
