By Sitha Maliwa:
Twelve years after the passing of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, South Africans will once again lace up their running shoes and take to the streets of Tshwane – not merely to race, but to remember. The Mandela Remembrance Walk and Run (MRWR) returns on Sunday, 7 December 2025, a powerful annual tribute to the global icon whose footsteps continue to guide a nation’s conscience.
Hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation (NMF) and the Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation (SACR), the event unites athletes, families, and dreamers under one banner -to honour Madiba’s towering legacy of justice, equality, and unity.
The race begins and ends at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, the very seat of the democracy Mandela helped forge. Participants can choose from a 5 km fun walk, a 10 km run, or the 21 km half-marathon, all starting at 6:30 a.m. Against the golden rays of the morning sun, runners will trace a symbolic path through history – each stride echoing the courage of a man who walked from prison to presidency with grace and conviction.
Online entries are open at www.mandelawalkandrun.com, with fees ranging from R100 to R200. Every entry is more than a ticket to the race – it’s a contribution to the Nelson Mandela Foundation’s vital work in fostering dialogue, social cohesion, and community-based development.
This year’s edition carries a special touch of inspiration with the appointment of Blanche Moila as the official Race Ambassador. Moila, a South African athletics legend and the first black woman to earn Springbok colours in 1984, represents the enduring spirit of breaking barriers and building hope. Her journey mirrors the resilience and excellence Mandela championed.
“As we gather to walk and run in Madiba’s memory 12 years on, we are reminded that his legacy is not a monument of the past but a living call to action,” said Dr Mbongiseni Buthelezi, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation. “Each step we take, and every rand we raise, is a commitment to advancing the work he began in building a society founded on dignity, equality, and justice for all.”
Gauteng MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation Matome Chiloane echoed the sentiment, noting, “This event continues to unite South Africans through sport, health, and shared purpose – values that Madiba embodied.”
For those who cannot attend in person, the Foundation has extended the invitation to the world with a virtual race option available through www.fundnation.org/mandela.
Number collections will take place on 5 December at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Houghton, and on 6 December at the Union Buildings Gardens in Pretoria, with no collections on race day. –@NewsSA_Online
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