New name needed for JG Zuma Marathon
SPONSORS have abandoned an international marathon named after former President Jacob Zuma.
It is believed that Zuma’s removal from the Union Buildings is the reason behind sponsors dumping the event, which had for the past three years been taking place between two small towns in KwaZulu-Natal Midlands
The 42km race was scheduled to occur yesterday between Seven Oaks outside Greytown and Umshwathi outside Pietermaritzburg.
Organiser of the marathon, Celi Makhoba, said they had to cancel it because they could not secure sponsors for this year’s event.
Makhoba said last year over 900 athletes had participated, adding that there were over 400 people registered to participate in this year’s event.
He said he had not informed Zuma, who launched the event in Greytown in 2015, about the new development.
“We had to cancel it because there were no sponsors. We needed about R800 000… previously we were sponsored by various people, including businesses and municipalities,” said Makhoba.
Umzinyathi district municipal mayor Petros Ngubane, who is also a councillor in the Umvoti municipality, which sponsored the event, made allegations on the SABC news that the marathon was cancelled because of political changes.
Ngubane repeated the allegations to Independent Media yesterday.
“The change in government might also have disturbed the sponsors,” Ngubane, who is the IFP mayor for the district, told the SABC.
He told Independent Media that Umvoti Municipality had been providing staff, money and refreshments.
He said the JG Zuma Marathon officials had approached the Umzinyathi district for support in January, “but we did not have the budget”.
Ngubane said the district would come up with an alternative event to replace the JG Zuma Marathon. This would have a different name, and would take place between Nquthu and Dundee, in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
“I am still going to discuss this matter in the exco (Umzinyathi executive committee).
“I will introduce the name for the new marathon and lobby for support,” said Ngubane.
Umvoti spokesperson Phindile Phungula said the municipality was informed late last week about the cancellation.
“It was unfortunate that the communication came late. But we don’t have much say or control because we are just hosts,” she said.