Cold and rain predicted as KZN hosts 98th Comrades, snow on Monday
Very cold and rainy conditions have been predicted for KwaZulu-Natal from Sunday — the day the province hosts the 98th Comrades Marathon.
Snow is expected in some parts of the country, including KZN, from Monday.
According to Snow Report South Africa, 'low-level snow is indicated in KZN, including on the N3 between Johannesburg and Durban, and it will be chilly with rain on Sunday for the province while the Comrades Marathon is taking place'.
Snow is also indicated for parts of Johannesburg, but Snow Report South Africa said 'this is still an advance forecast and will probably change'.
Meanwhile, the eThekwini municipality said on Tuesday it is ready for the Comrades, which will see more than 22,000 runners hit the road from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, starting at City Hall and ending at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
The event is expected to generate a direct spend of R275m, a GDP contribution of R681m, with 1,800 jobs created, according to officials.
The municipality said there will be several road closures and police presence 'will be heightened in all the affected intersections to ensure safety of runners, spectators and motorists'.
Mayor Cyril Xaba said hosting a race of this magnitude continued to position Durban as a preferred sporting destination.
'Hosting such major international events brings us much joy as it is a strong indication that we are among other international cities known for successfully delivering memorable sporting events. We will continue to leverage on such events as they boost the local economy and drive tourism.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald
an hour ago
- The Herald
Mthatha athlete part of Comrades elite field
When thousands of runners line up for the Comrades Marathon in front of the Pietermaritzburg City Hall on Sunday morning, one of the elite runners at the front of the queue will be Eastern Cape-born athlete Musa Zweni. Zweni, 34, runs for Pan African Resources Club and is coached by John Hamlet, who has coached several of the illustrious championship-winning ultra marathon runners. He has been in the Comrades Marathon training camp in Dullstroom, Mpumalanga, preparing for 2025's race. Zweni said he joined the camp in 2025, and the plan for the upcoming race was about adjusting to the training approach of his new club. 'We have got a three-year plan that we are working on with my coach,' Zweni said. 'We will just tick off this year and see other years. 'But in my head, there is something else. But the coach said before I could get there, we need to get some things right,' Zweni said, adding he did not run the Two Oceans Marathon to prepare for the Comrades. Born in Tabase, Mthatha, Zweni's best Comrades time, which he ran in 2023 in the colours of Boxer Superstores Athletic Club, was 5 hrs 58 min 47 sec, which earned him the Wally Hayward medal. An injury cost him running his first comrades in 2018, but his time in the race has improved tremendously from his 2019 debut where he finished in position 2,831 in 08:56:57, earning himself a Bill Rowan medal, followed by a much-improved performance finishing in 73rd spot, earning his first silver medal in 2022 after running his race in 06:30:58. Zweni's first dream was to play professional football, but that was ended after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) at a tournament in 2012 in Soweto, where he was preparing for trials with a PSL club. That forced surgery, with doctors saying he would never be able to run again. His running career started in 2017 in Cape Town and he has since attracted sponsorships from top global sport brands such as Puma, Maurten Gel and Future Life. 'After that injury, I started experiencing life in the sense that I started drinking, at that time I did not even have a girlfriend because my life was about football and nothing else. 'I started experimenting with a lot of things because I felt like I had given up so much for that moment. Everything happened so fast,' he said. Several injuries linked to his ACL injury forced Zweni to hang up his football boots at the age of 26. While the transition to elite running was not smooth sailing, Zweni's competitive streak kicked in when his friend, Siyabonga Madala, introduced him to running. He finished his first 10km run in 47 minutes, ran his first half marathon in 1:36:00, and his first Sanlam Cape Town Marathon in 4:00:00 from the F seeding. — WATCH: We are the Champions
TimesLIVE
4 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
270 correctional services employees to line up for Comrades Marathon
Exercise improves focus and productivity at work, says national correctional services commissioner Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale. An avid runner, he shared his good wishes to the 270 departmental staff participating in the Comrades Marathon, which will start in Pietermaritzburg and end in Durban this weekend. He is hoping for a strong performance and will attend the event to cheer on the team.
IOL News
4 hours ago
- IOL News
'Unacceptable': Judge outraged as advocate skips Meyiwa trial for Comrades Marathon
Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng has condemned Advocate Mnisi's request to miss court for the upcoming Comrades Marathon, calling it unprofessional and disrespectful amid long delays in the high-profile Senzo Meyiwa murder trial. Presiding Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng has expressed outrage in court after learning that Advocate Charles Mnisi requested to be excused from proceedings on Monday to participate in the Comrades Marathon. The judge, visibly furious, made it clear that the seriousness of the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial could not be sidelined for personal activities. "I'm not going to respond. If Mr Mnisi doesn't want to come to court on Monday, that's his business. I will be in court and the JP expects me to be in court," said Judge Mokgoatlheng. "Can't tell the JP somebody's going to run the marathon. So, the case should stop. Everybody should watch the marathon, I suppose." He referenced several other judges who are athletes, including Judge Boissie Mbha and Constitutional Court Judge Rammaka Mathopo, pointing out that none of them have ever let athletic commitments interfere with their judicial responsibilities.
