Latest news with #Comradesmarathon
IOL News
20 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Black Lawyers Association demands more than an apology from Judge Mokgoatlheng
Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng has apologised over racially charged comments he made when one of the advocates requested to miss court to run the Comrades marathon. Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers AN apology alone, is not good enough, the Black Lawyers Association (BLA) said in response to Presiding judge in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, Ratha Mokgoatlheng's apology on Monday following his court outburst where he made several remarks with racial undertones. Last week, Judge Mokgoatlheng expressed outrage in court after learning that defence advocate Charles Mnisi had written to his registrar, requesting to be excused from proceedings on Monday to participate in the Comrades Marathon. "This is what happens in a South Africa run by blacks. I can tell you now, even if you call Uncle Tom, I don't think a white advocate will ever have the gall to ask me that. Never," he said. The BLA did not take the comments lightly, calling out Judge Mokgoatlheng for launching 'an extremely unfortunate attack on black lawyers'. They gave him seven days to withdraw his comments, threatening further action if he failed to do so. 'What the Judge might not be aware of is that the attacks on black lawyers are not only distasteful but threaten our economic survival as law is our business. We strongly reject the assertion made by Judge Mokgoatlheng that seeks to compare black and white lawyers in the carrying out of their duties, especially in court. What is indisputable is that black lawyers are extremely capable, excellent and high level professionals. Our democratic set up has no place for the kind of Presiding Judge Mokgoatlheng represents,' the BLA said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ As the court session resumed on Monday, the judge made a public apology. "There is one thing I must attend to, all of us I am sure we read newspapers. It is proper that I should address this issue. Initially I want to say, I have been 26 years on the bench, as an acting judge, and as a judge. I have never ever behaved the way I did (on Thursday). I have been 30 years as an attorney before I became a judge," the judge addressed those in court. "I spoke to the JP (judge president) and the JP spoke to me together with the DJP. The JP rightfully excoriated me for my conduct, that it is not befitting of a judge of my experience and my stature that I should have behaved like I did. And I agree, my conduct was questionable and incorrect. My wife also, who I thought is afraid of me, told me that I should apologise to the whole of South Africa because I am worse than the attorneys who apparently steal the monies of clients in the RAF (Road Accident Fund) matter. She was reading the newspaper the other day about the fact that attorneys apparently (steal from clients) and they are colourless, they stole about R1.5 billion of RAF funds which belong to clients,' the judge said. Judge Mokgoatlheng said he wished to tender his "sincerest" apologies because the way he had behaved was contrary to his nature. In response to Judge Mokgoatlheng's apology, the BLA said while it was welcomed, it was not good enough given the severity of what was said. The BLA planned to reach out to call for further engagement on the issue. 'We welcome (the apology) but there must be a deeper conversation about what the judge has raised. Maybe we are not understanding the context. I personally want to understand how he thinks in terms of the issues of black lawyers. Once you start questioning the ability of practitioners on the basis of skin colour, you are raising a different topic altogether. I don't want to assume he is saying he does not trust in the abilities of black lawyers because there are exceptional legal minds out there, including him who is a judge today. He can't be casting aspersions on himself, that's why I'm saying a deeper conversation is needed,' BLA secretary general, Takalani Chris Mamathuntsha said.
The Star
3 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Economic impact of the Comrades Marathon on South Africa
Yogashen Pillay | Published 3 hours ago Tourism and hospitality industry and economists believe that the 98th edition of the Comrades Marathon on Sunday will provide an economic boost to the KZN and South African economies . Brett Tungay, East coast chairperson for the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa (Fedhasa), said that the Comrades marathon has a huge impact on the KZN hospitality and tourism and the KZN economy. 'In Pietermaritzburg, most of the occupancies have been reported as fully booked, which is great news. We all expect a great turnout for Durban with both local and international arrivals. Comrades is not just a KZN event; it really impacts people from across South Africa.' Tungay added this is great news for sports and events tourism. 'This is something that we have been pushing for as events and sports tourism gives a huge boost for the tourism and hospitality sector. We recently had a major event with the Nedbank Cup final in May between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. It was a huge event for KZN; restaurants, retailers, and accommodation were fully booked. So the Comrades Marathon is also going to be huge, and we are expecting to be very busy. We do need international arrivals as numbers have been down since the Covid 19 pandemic and events like this boost international arrivals.' Rosemary Anderson, National Chairperson Fedhasa, said that the Comrades Marathon is one of South Africa's most iconic sporting events and plays a vital role in driving tourism. 'Each year, it attracts thousands of runners, supporters, and families from around the country and the world. This influx of visitors boosts demand for hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, tour services, and transport – creating a ripple effect across the local and regional economy. It's not just about race day – it's about the extended stays, pre- and post-race travel, post-race dining and celebrations, and the vibrant atmosphere that energises the entire hospitality sector. Anderson added that the Comrades Marathon is a brilliant catalyst for the tourism and hospitality industry. 'It fills accommodations, packs out restaurants, and showcases South Africa's warm hospitality to both locals and international guests. Beyond the economic boost, it gives destinations like Durban and Pietermaritzburg a valuable platform to market themselves globally. Visitors often extend their stay to explore other attractions in KwaZulu-Natal and beyond, amplifying the tourism spend. Importantly, it also creates temporary and permanent job opportunities across tourism-related services – from event logistics to food vendors, tour guides, and more.' Anderson said that large-scale events like the Comrades Marathon, the Cape Epic, or international rugby and cricket sporting events are powerful tourism drivers. 'They not only bring in international visitors but also elevate South Africa's global profile as a dynamic, welcoming, and world-class destination. The more successful events we host, the more we can stimulate local economies, create jobs, and diversify our tourism offerings. They give people a reason to travel here – and often, once they experience the country, they return for leisure holidays, business, or further sporting events. Major events are a smart, sustainable way to grow tourism and showcase South Africa's unique spirit.' Umhlanga Tourism chairperson Jeannie Sarno said that the office is looking forward to welcoming the annual Comrades Marathon and the influx of visitors it brings to the area. "It's not just runners that attend the Comrades; they travel with friends, supporters, coaches, and even family. The majority of our establishments are fully booked, and this is a great relief to the tourism-related businesses who have had low bookings for March and April this year." Sarno added she encourages the community to continue to be welcoming to our visitors and helpful to assist when it comes to recommendations of restaurants and tourism attractions for the days leading to the run and the days after. 'Many families allow the runners to 'do their thing' on the pre- and post-race, and the families enjoy the sites and attractions in and around Umhlanga.' Waldo Krugell, an economics professor at the North-West University (NWU) and a previous Comrades Marathon runner, said that he always gets excited during Comrades weekend. 'There is a clear positive economic impact. Previous research indicates that it contributes significantly to the provincial economy. It is not only the athletes, but the supporters that travel along and frequently stay longer as well. Comrades has a larger impact on the local economy than many similar sport events, and this is attributed to the specialised nature of the event.' BUSINESS REPORT Visit:
IOL News
3 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Economic impact of the Comrades Marathon on South Africa
Tourism and hospitality industry and economists believe that the 98th edition of the Comrades Marathon on Sunday will provide an economic boost to the KZN and South African economies. Image: Comrades Marathon/Facebook Tourism and hospitality industry and economists believe that the 98th edition of the Comrades Marathon on Sunday will provide an economic boost to the KZN and South African economies. Brett Tungay, East coast chairperson for the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa (Fedhasa), said that the Comrades marathon has a huge impact on the KZN hospitality and tourism and the KZN economy. 'In Pietermaritzburg, most of the occupancies have been reported as fully booked, which is great news. We all expect a great turnout for Durban with both local and international arrivals. Comrades is not just a KZN event; it really impacts people from across South Africa.' Tungay added this is great news for sports and events tourism. 'This is something that we have been pushing for as events and sports tourism gives a huge boost for the tourism and hospitality sector. We recently had a major event with the Nedbank Cup final in May between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. It was a huge event for KZN; restaurants, retailers, and accommodation were fully booked. So the Comrades Marathon is also going to be huge, and we are expecting to be very busy. We do need international arrivals as numbers have been down since the Covid 19 pandemic and events like this boost international arrivals.' Rosemary Anderson, National Chairperson Fedhasa, said that the Comrades Marathon is one of South Africa's most iconic sporting events and plays a vital role in driving tourism. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'Each year, it attracts thousands of runners, supporters, and families from around the country and the world. This influx of visitors boosts demand for hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, tour services, and transport – creating a ripple effect across the local and regional economy. It's not just about race day – it's about the extended stays, pre- and post-race travel, post-race dining and celebrations, and the vibrant atmosphere that energises the entire hospitality sector. Anderson added that the Comrades Marathon is a brilliant catalyst for the tourism and hospitality industry. 'It fills accommodations, packs out restaurants, and showcases South Africa's warm hospitality to both locals and international guests. Beyond the economic boost, it gives destinations like Durban and Pietermaritzburg a valuable platform to market themselves globally. Visitors often extend their stay to explore other attractions in KwaZulu-Natal and beyond, amplifying the tourism spend. Importantly, it also creates temporary and permanent job opportunities across tourism-related services – from event logistics to food vendors, tour guides, and more.' Anderson said that large-scale events like the Comrades Marathon, the Cape Epic, or international rugby and cricket sporting events are powerful tourism drivers. 'They not only bring in international visitors but also elevate South Africa's global profile as a dynamic, welcoming, and world-class destination. The more successful events we host, the more we can stimulate local economies, create jobs, and diversify our tourism offerings. They give people a reason to travel here – and often, once they experience the country, they return for leisure holidays, business, or further sporting events. Major events are a smart, sustainable way to grow tourism and showcase South Africa's unique spirit.' Umhlanga Tourism chairperson Jeannie Sarno said that the office is looking forward to welcoming the annual Comrades Marathon and the influx of visitors it brings to the area. "It's not just runners that attend the Comrades; they travel with friends, supporters, coaches, and even family. The majority of our establishments are fully booked, and this is a great relief to the tourism-related businesses who have had low bookings for March and April this year." Sarno added she encourages the community to continue to be welcoming to our visitors and helpful to assist when it comes to recommendations of restaurants and tourism attractions for the days leading to the run and the days after. 'Many families allow the runners to 'do their thing' on the pre- and post-race, and the families enjoy the sites and attractions in and around Umhlanga.' Waldo Krugell, an economics professor at the North-West University (NWU) and a previous Comrades Marathon runner, said that he always gets excited during Comrades weekend. 'There is a clear positive economic impact. Previous research indicates that it contributes significantly to the provincial economy. It is not only the athletes, but the supporters that travel along and frequently stay longer as well. Comrades has a larger impact on the local economy than many similar sport events, and this is attributed to the specialised nature of the event.' BUSINESS REPORT Visit:
eNCA
5 days ago
- Climate
- eNCA
Favourable weather expected for Comrades weekend
DURBAN - No extreme weather is forecast for the Comrades marathon this Sunday. But the KwaZulu-Natal government says disaster management teams are on alert for any emergencies. The weather service is warning of a cold snap that will bring cold, wet weather to large parts of the country.
The South African
03-06-2025
- Climate
- The South African
Comrades marathon: What weather runners can expect
For runners taking part in the Comrades marathon this Sunday, some nerves and excitement will be starting to set in, while a close eye will be kept on the weather conditions for race day. This year, the Comrades Marathon is a down run, starting with the traditional cock's crow in Pietermaritzburg and finishing a gruelling 89.98 kilometres later outside the People's Park in Durban. The good news is that weather conditions are looking warm and pleasant throughout the day along the route. However, it will be chilly as runners begin to gather in Pietermaritzburg during the early hours of Sunday. Temperatures will be in the single digits, rising to around 12°C by 05:00 ahead of the start for the first groups. Temperatures are then predicted to rise as high as 25°C by midday, with minimal cloud cover and no real wind to speak of. A runners begin to head towards Durban, there are some partly cloudy conditions predicted from mid afternoon, but it's unlikely to provide much relief from typically warm conditions that see temperatures expected to peak at 25°C and still hover around 23°C at 17:00. Weather-wise, Comrades Marathon Association's race doctor, Dr Jeremy Boulter, said he's hoping for a cool day without wind for the participants. He added that the down run is often harder on the legs with people having more aches and pains the next day. 'The main concerns we usually treat on race day are exhaustion, dehydration, some over-hydration and any arising acute medical problems experienced on the route. Most musculoskeletal problems will only surface the following day and will need treatment then.' Five tips for runners With his extensive experience in race-day emergencies, Dr Boulter offers five points of sound advice to runners on the day. Make sure you're adequately trained and prepared. Don't run if you are ill or have been ill with influenza in the two weeks prior to Comrades Day. 'If your symptoms were experienced above the neck, it's probably okay to run, but if they were below the neck, don't chance it. If you've had a fever with aches and pains, a chest infection or coughing, and you're still on treatment, don't attempt the race,' advises Dr Boulter. Make sure you drink enough fluids on the route. Eat enough food to keep you going during the race. Don't take medication such as painkillers, anti-inflammatories or muscle relaxants while running, warns Dr Boulter. 'There is plenty of medical help along the way if you need it.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
