CITY GEARS UP FOR 99TH COMRADES MARATHON
- Jun 10
- 2 min read
EThekwini Municipality is ready to welcome the 21 600 athletes participating in the 99th Comrades Marathon, along with an anticipated 65 000 spectators travelling from across South Africa and around the world to witness the Ultimate Human Race.
The Comrades Marathon takes place on Sunday, 14 June.
This year’s event is an “up run”, with runners making the challenging journey from Durban to Pietermaritzburg.
BOOST FOR LOCAL ECONOMY
The Comrades Marathon continues to be a significant economic driver for eThekwini, attracting thousands of visitors whose spending contributes substantially to the local economy through accommodation, transport, hospitality, retail, and tourism-related activities.
Small businesses are expected to benefit from the increased visitor numbers during the marathon weekend, with approximately 1 300 temporary job opportunities anticipated to be created.
CITY’S READINESS
To ensure the city is fully prepared for the event, a comprehensive operational plan has been activated as part of eThekwini Municipality’s readiness programme.
The plan is being coordinated across multiple Municipal directorates to ensure a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for athletes, supporters, and visitors.
Teams from the Waste Management Directorate are working diligently to maintain cleanliness along the race route and in key public areas.
The Directorate has been appointed as the official waste management service provider for the Comrades Marathon.
On race day, cleaning teams will be deployed along the eThekwini section of the route, from the starting point at Durban City Hall to Cato Ridge (R103), to facilitate the efficient collection and disposal of waste and recyclable materials.
Waste receptacles will also be strategically positioned along the route to encourage responsible waste disposal by spectators.
*SAFETY AND SECURITY MEASURES *
The safety and security of participants and spectators remain a priority.
Metro Police officers will be deployed at strategic locations along the route and at key gathering points to ensure the smooth running of the event and to assist with traffic and crowd management.
FAN PARKS
To enhance the race-day experience, eThekwini Municipality will host a Comrades Marathon fan park at Kings Park Athletics Stadium from 04:30 to 17:30.
The fan park will provide residents and visitors with an opportunity to watch live race coverage and support participants throughout the day.
Attendees can also look forward to a vibrant, family-friendly atmosphere featuring live entertainment, interactive activities, food vendors, and recreational experiences suitable for all ages.
ROAD CLOSURES
The public is advised of the following road closures on Sunday, 14 June:
* Dr Pixley KaSeme Street
* Joseph Nduli Road
* N3 West Off-Ramp to King Cetshwayo Highway contra-flow via 45th Cutting to the M13 and Cowies Hill
* Josiah Gumede Road, Pinetown
* M13 through Kloof, Gillitts and Old Main Road into Hillcrest
* R103 towards Cato Ridge via Doonrug Road
All affected roads will reopen once the last runner has passed through the respective areas.
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