KwaZulu-Natal Athletics needs to find a way to compromise with the Comrades Marathon Association, rather fighting in court.
After losing one fight at the weekend, KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA) president Steve Mkasi is headed for another defeat.
Mkasi admitted on Monday he experienced a “serious lapse of judgment” after a video emerged of the KZNA boss getting locked in a tussle with a race organiser.
He has been provisionally suspended by KZNA, and he’s facing a disciplinary investigation, but it’s a minor issue.
Though it didn’t look good, two men argued and wrestled for a bit. Mkasi apologised. Let’s move on.
Here’s a video of what appears to be KZNA president Steve Mkasi in a street fight with Ama Ravens Best of the Best Marathon organiser Sphephelo Ndlovu. Information I have is that Mkasi threated Ndlovu after he commented negatively about Mkasi on this article: pic.twitter.com/pYGJyWHmaD
— The Running Mann (@runningmann100) July 12, 2026
Clash with Comrades
The other battle he is locked in – an ongoing conflict between KZNA and the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) – is far more significant in the position Mkasi holds. And this time he might not walk away unscathed.
After KZNA tried to tighten its control over the CMA, a court battle ultimately ended in the CMA withdrawing its KZNA affiliation and opting to affiliate itself directly with national body Athletics South Africa (ASA).
In retaliation, KZNA threatened to take further legal action in a reported attempt to have the 2027 race cancelled.
Last year, it was suggested that some organisational issues at the Two Oceans ultra-marathon would result in this year’s race being called off. That was never going to happen.
And, in the same way that Two Oceans is too much of a cash cow to scratch it, Comrades is a national institution that offers so much in terms of revenue for KZN tourism that any suggestions it might be cancelled are just silly.
Governing bodies have more to lose
The 2027 Comrades Marathon – the 100th edition of the race – will go ahead, and the only real danger is that the CMA might opt to cut ties with athletics governing bodies. If this happens, KZNA and ASA have far more to lose than the CMA does.
Comrades is the foundation of road running in South Africa. Most marathon races around the country wouldn’t even exist if they weren’t qualifying races for Comrades, and the reality is that the annual event could become an unsanctioned ‘fun run’ and it wouldn’t lose any of its widespread interest or prestige.
Mkasi can brush off the street fight he lost, but he won’t walk away from the battle with Comrades in one piece.
He’s just wasting KZNA resources trying to punch above his weight.
