JOHANNESBURG - Former President Nelson Mandela’s Centenary celebrations will come to a rousing end in Pretoria on Sunday 9 December 2018 when thousands of South African residents will again gather for the annual Mandela Remembrance Walk And Run.
Hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, together with the Gauteng Province, this year’s event will begin and end at the magnificent Union Buildings and will be a fun day out for the whole family.
Nearly 20 000 people participated in last year’s extremely successful Remembrance Walk and Run and over 30 000 people are expected to attend this year. The walk will be held alongside the Nelson Mandela Liberation Route, a significant tourist attraction, which boasts various heritage sites linked to the former President’s political history.
It will be the last official event of Madiba’s Centenary year, bringing to an end a memorable commemoration programme that paid tribute to the legacy and heritage of the great Statesman in a befitting manner in 2018. This year’s Remembrance Walk and Run will see the introduction of a 21 km Half Marathon, together with a 5 km walk and a 10 km run.
“We want to thank all South Africans and the global community for the warm, wonderful manner in which they’ve embraced the Mandela Centenary celebrations. It’s been a phenomenal, humbling year which has paid fitting tribute to Madiba’s legacy and we want to encourage people from all walks of life to come out in their thousands to end this centenary year by participating in the Mandela Remembrance Walk and Run. This event has become a huge highlight on the South African calendar and we are confident this one will be the best yet,” said Sello Hatang, CEO of The Nelson Mandela Foundation.
“The Gauteng Province is honoured to have played a central role in former President Nelson Mandela’s Centenary celebrations this year. Madiba lived his life in service to a free and equal society for all and we will again be doing the Remembrance Walk and Run to honour his commitment to justice, equality and a non-racial South Africa. We are urging people to come out in huge numbers to be part of this very special event,” said Faith Mazibuko, Gauteng MEC for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation.
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Entry fee is R50 for the 5km walk, R100 for the 10km Run and R150 for the 21km run, which will have nominal winners prize money of R5 000 for the elite runners in each age and gender category taking on the 10kms and half marathon route. All participants will receive drawstring bags from Lotto containing a Lotto shirt, cap and some more event goodies.
There will be loads of entertainment for the kids and child minders will be available to look after them. There will also be food Stalls, a music concert on the lawns for which an exciting line-up will soon be announced, fitness and boxing displays and plenty of fun for all.
Race numbers for the run will include chip timing for the pro runners. Participants for the walk and run can enter online on www.walkandrun.com. They can also enter manually at Sweatshop in Centurion, Runaway Sports in Pretoria, Orlando Community Centre and Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria