COMRADES NEWS
CMA SPIRIT OF COMRADES AWARD
Shahieda Thungo
Also known in the running community as Makhi, Shahieda Thungo is a well-known driver of the Comrades Marathon 12-hour bus, having successfully delivered six busses since 2017. This compassionate Comrades pacer has completed seven Comrades Marathons since 2016, and has helped many runners to finish just before the 12-hour cutoff in the last six races. She is the only known female bus driver that has consistently served the slow runners.
Shahieda is a driven individual. Through her determined spirit, she has survived some of the challenges life has thrown at her, including depression and cancer. She is an inspiration to all those who know her, and her passion for life and dedication to the runners will still carry many runners across the finish line.
Shahieda says,“ Comrades is the one journey that gets you to experience and learn a lot about yourself. It teaches you patience, resilience and mental fortitude. Most importantly, it teaches you about humanity, or ubuntu, as it is known – about sharing, caring and just how equal we all are.”
CMA JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Matshelane Mamabolo
Independent Newspapers Limited reporter, Matshelane Mamabolo, is a veteran journalist and editor whose involvement in the sports journalism industry goes back to 1996. He has several awards to his name, and here he added an impressive third win in the category as the leading journalist who covered The Ultimate Human Race most extensively in 2024, having previously won the award in 2018 and 2019. Matshelane’ s passion for the Comrades Marathon is clear not just in his writing, but he has also put his feet to the road as well, having completed a total of three Comrades Marathons to date, with a best time of 8:24:28.
He says,“ To be adjudged the Comrades Top Journalist for the third time is an honour I cherish, because there are many of my colleagues who covered the event with distinction. For me, the Comrades Marathon is South Africa’ s greatest sporting event, and even though to most people it is a race that happens in KwaZulu-Natal sometime in June, the reality is that Comrades is a year-long running extravaganza, and almost every time a runner laces up, it is with The Ultimate Human Race in mind.”
CMA CHAIRPERSON’ S AWARD
Diane Stowell
This was the second year since the CMA Chairperson’ s Award was introduced, which recognises outstanding, long-serving individuals who contribute in meaningful ways to the Comrades Marathon and to society in general. The awardee is generally nominated and selected by members of the CMA Board. The recipient of this year’ s award was Diane Stowell, who has been part of the Comrades Marathon Association family since 1996.
Being the wife of the late Adrian Stowell, who served the CMA in various capacities, including being a member of the Board for over 20 years and serving as Chairperson from 1997 to 1999, has led to Diane’ s nearly 30-year commitment to the CMA as well. She became actively involved in the planning of the race, and as part of the Race Organising Committee, she diligently and expertly managed the VIP Portfolio for many years. None of life’ s challenges has ever deterred Di from doing what she does best, and her passion and love for The Ultimate Human Race has earned the respect of many.
Di says,“ The Comrades Marathon is more than just a road-running race to our family. It has taught us that in order to succeed, one must have strength, hope, determination and resilience. These are qualities that we have all drawn strength from, particularly over the last couple of challenging years. I have been inspired by many people who are involved in the Comrades Marathon, not only the runners, but also the people supporting and working together to create the success of this race. Meeting President Nelson Mandela twice as well as going to other marathons, both local and overseas, have been some of the highlights for me. My life has been enriched over the years by our family’ s involvement in the Comrades Marathon.”
CMA SPIRIT OF COMRADES AWARD
Estienne Arndt
Estienne Arndt is as passionate today about The Ultimate Human Race as he was when he ran his first Comrades in 1979, and his journey with the race has included a number of very different challenges. In 1987 he and some friends ran the Comrades in slip-slops, as a fundraising drive for Little Eden, an organisation caring for people with intellectual disabilities.
He returned the following year with a different group of friends, all running in kilts and slip slops. Tragically, later that year he lost his foot in a motorcycle accident, but that did not stop him from participating again. He came back in full force in the 1990s, becoming the first amputee to finish the Comrades with a prosthesis, and received his Green Number in 1996.
Estienne completed 13 Comrades Marathons in total, four as an amputee, and he achieved his best time of 7:26:07 in 1981. He is certainly an adrenaline junkie, having not only founded the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon, but having organised it for decades before deciding to tackle this gruelling race himself, at the age of 69, for Little Eden.
Estienne says,“ The Comrades Marathon was in my time an annual institution in the life of any runner. It was, and I believe still is, the ultimate ultra-marathon that every long-distance runner strives to complete. May it continue for as many years as it has been in existence, if not longer.”
CMA TOP CHARITY FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR
Mahesh Ratanjee
The CMA is exceedingly proud of the Comrades Ambeadibeadi Charity Drive, which once again benefitted six officially recognised charities this past year. To this end, the CMA presented its Comrades Marathon Top Charity Fundraiser Award to the person who has raised the most funds for the Comrades Charities in 2024.
Mahesh Ratanjee raised nearly R200,000 for his charity of choice, the Community Chest, and he said,“ Having achieved three Comrades finishes and simultaneously raising funds as a Superhero for Community Chest has been a rewarding experience. My wife, Ashmita, and I continue to suffer the loss of our daughter, and we’ ve been dedicated to providing care wherever possible to children. Donning the red Superhero cape in support of the Community Chest’ s Early Childhood Development programme enabled me to run my Comrades with a greater purpose.”
“ It is an honour to be associated with two formidable brands, the Comrades Marathon, which was in its 97th edition of the race, and the Community Chest, with its 93-year history. Receiving the recognition for the highest overall Race4Charity fundraiser will no doubt be one of my greatest achievements.”
CMA GREEN NAME RECOGNITION
Peter Proctor Seals Swimming Club Interflora
The CMA also honoured Interim Vice Chairperson, Peter Proctor with his Quadruple Green Name for his long-standing service to the Comrades Marathon. In a similar spirit, Seals Swimming Club was bestowed with Green Name honours for their over 40 years of hosting a refreshment station along the Comrades route. Also recognised at the awards gala was CMA sponsor, Interflora, for their generous flower sponsorship spanning more than three decades.
2025 Nominations Opening Soon
Peter Proctor
Seals Swimming Club
Interflora
Watch the media for an announcement shortly after the 2025 edition of the Comrades Marathon for the opening of the nomination process for the 2025 GEMS Spirit of Comrades Awards. You will be asked to download, fill in and submit a nomination form, including a short motivation why you believe that person should be awarded the Spirit of Comrades Award.
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