IYABUYA ingqophamlando yomjaho wakuleli iComrades Marathon, osekuphele iminyaka emibili imisiwe ngemva yokubheduka kweCorona ngoMashi 2020.
Lokhu kuqinisekiswe ngusihlalo weComrades Marathon Association (CMA), uMqondisi Ngcobo, engxoxweni ekhethekile neSolezwe ngeSonto.
UNgcobo uthe nenhlangano eyengamele ezokugijima kuleli, i-Athletics South Africa (ASA) isilukhiphile nosuku okuzogijinywa ngalo lo mqhudelwano onedumela emhlabeni. Kugcine ngo-2019 ukuthi ubekhona umjaho njengoba kwavalwa izwe ngemva kokugasela kweCorona, emhlabeni.
Lo mjaho webanga lika-90km, uzogijinywa ngo-Agasti 28, usuka eMgungundlovu uphelele eThekwini.
“Ngingakuqinisekisa ukuthi kulo nyaka iComrades ikhuza ibuya, into esesiphezu kwayo njengamanje amalungiselelo okuyethula ngokusemthethweni,” kusho uNgcobo.
“Maduzane nje, uma sesihlanganile sabhunga kabanzi ngezinhlelo zalo mqhudelwano, sizonquma usuku esizokwethula ngalo ngokusemthethweni umjaho.
“Nokho, engifisa ukukucacisa nokukugcizelela wukuthi nakuba sihlabeke umxhwele ngokubuya kwalo mjaho onedumela kodwa sizibophezele ukuqikelela ukulandela yonke imigomo yezokuphepha yeCovid-19, ngokubekwa nguhulumeni. Sisazohlela nesibalo sabagijimi abazobamba iqhaza nalabo abazoba yingxenye yomjaho, ukuqinisekisa imigomo yokuphepha nokulandela imithetho ebekwe nguMnyango wezeMpilo.
“Elinye lamakomiti ethu elibhekelele ukuhlelwa kwalo mqhudelwano, i-race advisory committee, lizosinika izincomo ngasohlangothini lwezokuphepha ngokwezempilo ngokuya phambili. Siyakuqonda ukuthi abagijimi bakithi sesiside isikhathi bewubheke ngabomvu lo mjaho. Kodwa-ke asifuni nangephutha, ukufaka noma ngubani ozoba yingxenye yalo mjaho, okubalwa nabo abagijimi, engozini yokuthetheleleka ngalolu bhubhane,” kusho uNgcobo.
Ngemuva kwesikhathi ingekho imijaho egijinywayo ngenxa yeCovid-19, kodwa kuthe usuyophela unyaka odlule kwabonakale sekuntwela ezansi njengoba kukhona imijaho embalwa egijinyiwe, okubalwa obungo-Okthoba i-Absa Durban 10km City Run ebiseThekwini, nePrince Mangosuthu Ultra Marathon ngo-Agasti, ebiseNquthu naseDundee.
Kanti akungatshazwa ukuthi ukubuya kweComrades okungumjaho obalwa nemikhulu yamabanga amade emhlabeni, kuzoba nesasasa kubagijimi baseNingizimu Afrika, nabakwamanye amazwe abazoqhudelana kule ndumezulu yomjaho onedumela.
U-Edward Mothibi, ube ngumpetha kwabesilisa ngo-2019 kusukwa eThekwini kuphelwa eMgungundlovu. Kwabesifazane umhlanganiso wadliwa nguGerda Steyn.