In a significant show of community spirit and civic commitment, stakeholders and residents came together for the Soweto Marathon Clean-up Initiative, ensuring the route for the marathon, affectionately known as “The People’s Race”, is clean. Key stakeholders, including the City of Johannesburg, African Bank, and the Soweto Marathon NPC (Non-Profit Company that administers the race), spearheaded the effort, which kicked off at 9h00 on Moshoeshoe Street (21km).

This initiative underscored African Bank’s commitment to supporting the township economy and celebrating Soweto’s rich heritage, a core theme of the race that passes iconic landmarks.​

About 60 participants were divided into two dedicated crews to simultaneously tackle the clean-up on both the Moshoeshoe Street (21km) and Martinus Drive (42km) routes, the latter running alongside Diepkloof Hostel. As part of service delivery, the City provided crucial support, supplying refuse bags, gloves, trucks, and personnel from Pikitup—Johannesburg’s official integrated waste management service provider—along with CRUM, City Parks and Zoo, Community Development, and JOSCHO.

The initiative was warmly embraced by the local community, with patrollers and residents, including Diepkloof resident Tshepo Maphobole, expressing their enthusiasm for creating a welcoming environment for the runners: “As a resident of Diepkloof, I was happy that I came here to join this cleaning campaign for the marathon. It was pleasing to see runners passing here welcomed by the leadership.”

The coordinated effort clearly highlighted the strong partnership between sponsors, government, and the community, which is essential to making this iconic race a memorable event for all.

Written by Dr Karabo Semenya