Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-12-14 i Sunday Independent

ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula was out of line in announcing the disbandment of the party’s KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Task Team (PTT) without first discussing the matter with the structure, said Professor Sipho Seepe. The ANC’s National Executive Committee appointed the PTT in February after disbanding the elected provincial executive committee (PEC), whose poor performance had been linked to the party’s poor support during last year’s general elections. The interim structure, which is led by seasoned ANC leaders - Jeff Radebe as convenor and Mike Mabuyakhulu as the coordinator, was tasked to rebuild party structures in the province in preparation for next year’s local government elections and provincial elective conference. Speaking on the sidelines of the ANC’s 5th National General Council (NGC), Mbalula had accused the KZN PTT of being preoccupied with…

FORMER United States Department of Defense official Michael Rubin, a seasoned expert on Middle Eastern and South Asian affairs, recently delivered a scathing assessment of US policy toward India, particularly in the context of its energy dealings with Russia. In comments made amid Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India in early December 2025, Rubin accused the US of outright hypocrisy. “We are being hypocritical when we lecture India,” he said, pointing out that while Washington criticises New Delhi for purchasing discounted Russian oil, the US itself continues to engage in trade with Moscow, including indirect energy imports when it suits its needs. In a sarcastic jab, Rubin suggested that Trump “deserves a Nobel” for uniting India and Russia through failed diplomacy, including punitive tariffs on Indian goods and a…

IN recent years, the geopolitical landscape has been drastically reshaped by the imposition of economic sanctions by Western nations against Russia. Designed to curtail Moscow’s ability to finance military operations and influence global markets, these sanctions have targeted a range of sectors, including energy exports, banking, and critical elements of Russia’s maritime capabilities. Notably, restrictions imposed on Russia’s fleet at sea have not only inhibited Moscow’s commercial and military maritime activities but have also set in motion a series of unintended consequences. These “boomerang effects” have reverberated throughout the Western economies and disrupted international trade networks. This article examines the sanctions’ dual impact — how Western efforts to pressure Russia have curbed its strategic maritime operations while also negatively affecting the sanctioning states and global commerce. Historical context and rationale…

A SECOND company in the space of a year is calling into question Statistics South Africa’s instruments. Like Capitec, Fibertime — best known for connecting households in informal settlements to uncapped fibre for just R5 a day — claims that South Africa’s population could be underestimated at 63 million. The company asserts that the country’s population may well exceed 95 million. For me, it is not a shock at all: Black people have always been “invisible citizens” since colonial times. The arrival of democracy has not really changed this situation. While some may conveniently ascribe the “excess” numbers to illegal and undocumented migrants, my view is that invisible citizens continue to be missing in the statistical, administrative and policy infrastructure of the state. This includes scores of farm dwellers, unregistered…

AS the ANC moves to exclude the SACP from election strategy meetings, Nehawu has defiantly pledged its support for the communist party's independent 2026 local government election campaign. Nehawu resolved at its central executive committee (CEC) meeting on Thursday that it will embark on a massive elections campaign in the elections in support of the SACP. The NGC, convened this week, addressed the tensions within the Tripartite Alliance, suggesting that the SACP's resolution to contest the elections independently poses a threat to the unity and cohesion of the alliance. The political report presented highlighted the potential pitfalls of dual party membership amidst the realities of electoral politics. In his closing address, ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa said the ANC would not give up on its historic responsibility and effort to unite…

THE bombshells emerging from the commissions of inquiry in South Africa kept the public on their toes and dominated national and international headlines. First was the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, chaired by retired Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, which is investigating allegations of collusion and corruption between politicians, senior police, prosecutors, intelligence operatives, and elements of the judiciary. The inquiry stemmed from allegations levelled by KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi during his July 6, 2025, media briefing, where he accused his colleagues and politicians, including Police minister Senzo Mchunu, whom he alleged were part of serious crime cartels in Gauteng. At the centre of the controversy was the letter of disbandment of the KZN Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), and the removal of 121 case dockets under investigation at…

Before the ink could dry on the peace accord brokered by US President Donald Trump – now being referred to as the Washington Peace Accord – violence had once again erupted in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The March 23 Movement (M23), backed by Rwanda, has launched a new offensive around the strategic town of Uvira in South Kivu. This renewed violence reminds us that: “Peace agreements are not peace – they are promises. And promises only matter when leaders fear disappointing their citizens more than they fear each other.” At the signing ceremony on Thursday, November 27 in Washington, Presidents Paul Kagame and Félix Tshisekedi could barely look each other in the eye, nor could they exchange a comfortable handshake. Their strained body language alone signalled that…

The erosion of human rights: A 2025 perspective The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, in his report presented to the United Nations Human Rights Council last September, stated that “no one is safe when human rights are attacked”. He was referring to the growing disregard for the multilateral agreements that have constituted International Human Rights Law and, with it, the impunity for those who commit such acts, which makes everything even more serious. This concern highlights a dynamic that underscores one of the central themes of an assessment of the human rights situation in 2025. The growing weakening of multilateralism and global human rights protection mechanisms is not new, but it certainly gained momentum in 2025. One of the main factors contributing to this is the attacks by…

This year’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament showcases some of the continent’s most talented players and teams. The hosts, Morocco, will kick-off the continental showpiece on Sunday, December 21, against one of the lowest-ranked countries, Comoros, in the opening match in Rabat. As Africa’s top world-ranked team, Morocco is the favourite to win the championship on home soil, thanks in part to its impressive journey to the semi-finals of the last Fifa World Cup in Qatar. However, the hosts face a potential setback with the early loss of their captain, Achraf Hakimi, who sustained a serious ankle injury while playing for Paris Saint-Germain against Bayern Munich. Despite this hurdle, the Moroccan side oozes talent and tactical nuance. Adopting a flexible 4-3-3 formation, Morocco’s approach combines defensive solidity with rapid offensive…

South Africa’s Indoor Hockey World Cup bronze medallists started their Nkosi Cup title in Cape Town with a statement 5-1 win over New Zealand’s men, while the women put seven past the hapless Kiwi women in a ruthless display on a high-scoring opening day on Friday at Wynberg Military Base. The men, who are chasing a hat-trick of wins in the tournament, were playing in front of their home crowd for the first time since winning the World Cup bronze medal in Croatia earlier this year. Justin Rosenburg’s charges came out firing and it was no surprise that World Cup Player of the Tournament Mustapha Cassiem opened the scoring. His brother Dayaan, the captain, joined the party with a reverse flick to make it 2-0 before Mustapha got his second…

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu may have just walked off with one of South African rugby’s most coveted individual honours, but the young Springboks flyhalf insists he’s nowhere near the summit of his abilities. Awarded the MyPlayers Springbok Players’ Player of the Year after a breakout season in green and gold, he speaks more like a student than a superstar — a grounded playmaker who sees mentorship, competition and reflection as the fuel for his rise. At the heart of his development, Feinberg-Mngomezulu says, is the daily proximity to seasoned maestros like Manie Libbok and Handré Pollard. Both World Cup winners. Both with vastly different styles. And both, in his words, “priceless reference points” for a young No 10 learning to navigate Test rugby’s hardest edges. Their contrasting games — Libbok’s instinctive sparkle…

Coach Vladimir Petkovic says he will not make promises while trying to resurrect the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) fortunes of Algeria after two disastrous campaigns. The Desert Foxes won the premier football competition in the continent a second time in 2019 when a second-minute Baghdad Bounedjah goal delivered a 1-0 final victory over Senegal in Cairo. It was a team teeming with stars, led by then Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez, and the belief was that they would go on to claim more honours. But those dreams were never realised. Instead, the Foxes were eliminated after the first round of the 2022 and 2024 Afcon’s in Cameroon and the Ivory Coast. Not only did they fail to reach the knockout stages, they were humiliated, unable to win a match…

The 2025 Afcon is upon us in Morocco this month, as the 24 best nations from across the continent compete for Africa’s most coveted crown. As we build up to the tournament, which gets underway on December 21 and concludes on January 18, we break down the teams in Group A. The group features hosts Morocco, alongside Zambia, Mali, and Comoros. Morocco CAF Ranking: 1 Coach: Walid Regragui Player to watch: Achraf Hakimi Best Afcon performance: Champions – 1976 Tournament prediction: Reaching the final Having last won the continental crown in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 49 years ago, the Atlas Lions are expected to reign supreme in their backyard this month. Not only will they be buoyed by home crowd advantage, but they are also the highest-ranked nation on the continent.…

Skincare trends may come and go, but some stick around because they deliver results, and none is making waves quite like lymphatic drainage. From TikTok tutorials to celebrity-approved beauty routines, this ancient practice is having a major cultural moment, promising to de-puff, sculpt and detox. Let’s dive deep into the trend that’s taking over the beauty space and your social feed. What is lymphatic drainage? Think of your lymphatic system as your body’s clean-up crew. It’s a network of vessels and nodes that move lymph, a clear fluid rich in immune-boosting white blood cells, through your body to flush out toxins, waste, and excess fluid. But unlike your circulatory system, which has your heart to keep things moving, the lymphatic system relies on movement, breathing and external stimulation to function…

EUROPE stands divided over the bloc’s relentless pursuit of Russophobia. At issue is what to do with frozen Russian assets as part of punishment to Moscow’s “Special Military Operation” the West describes as “invasion of Ukraine”. President Donald Trump of the United States has invested enormous amounts of effort in his expressed endeavour to broker a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv. However, European political elites in the form of the UK, France and Germany have espoused a rather confrontational approach to any dealings with Russia. The trio formed a so-called Coalition of the Willing, the same phrase used in 2003 by former US President George W Bush and his trusted ally, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair when they illegally invaded Iraq, toppled and enabled the killing of Saddam…

The board members of two water boards have been accused of pocketing R3.7 million in overpayments for board fees without ministerial approval over the past three years. This was disclosed by Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina while responding to parliamentary questions from MK Party MP Visvin Reddy. Reddy asked whether Majodina had found that there had been any overpayments made to members of water boards without her approval in the past three financial years. He also requested the list of all water boards where members have been paid in excess of the approved maximum amounts during the same period without her prior approval, as required by legislation. In her response, Majodina confirmed that Amatola and Magalies water board members were paid in excess of the maximum allowable hours during…

RENOWNED businesswoman and philanthropist, Daphne Mashile-Nkosi, has led a public awareness campaign aimed at basic education around the debilitating lack of stem cell and blood donation in South Africa. The event was organised by the Stanley & Daphne Nkosi Foundation (SDNF) and actively supported by the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, SA National Blood Service (SANBS), DKMS Africa and the SA Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR). Mashile-Nkosi’s daughter, Zakithi Nkosi, affectionately known as Zaza, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive blood disorder medically described as Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLM) shortly after her 19th birthday in June 2016. She passed on six months later after the family could find no stem cell match for her. Spokesperson for the SDNF, Paul Phume, said: “The family’s struggle to find a stem cell match for Zaza…

The Stats SA report, which shows a decline in poverty levels over the past 17 years, has been met with criticism, with civil organisations saying this is not a reflection of what is happening on the ground. The report, “Poverty trends in South Africa: An examination of absolute poverty between 2006 and 2023”, shows that people living below the lower-bound poverty line fell to 37.9% in 2023, or around 23 million people, from 58%, or 27 million people in 2006. This represents a notable 19.6% point reduction over 17 years. The report further highlights that progress in reducing poverty has been most pronounced among black African and Coloured populations, reflecting the positive impact of targeted social and economic interventions. However, the grassroots socialist movement of the poor, Abahlali baseMjondolo, said…

THE Department of Home Affairs is currently grappling with approximately 384,189 identity documents (IDs) that remain blocked, a significant reduction from 702, 267 recorded almost 20 months ago. Minister Leon Schreiber disclosed this information when he was responding to parliamentary questions from ActionSA MP Lerato Ngobeni regarding the pressing issue of blocked IDs. The Gauteng High Court deemed the practice of placing markers against identity numbers as unconstitutional and invalid in January 2024. The court granted the department a window period of 12 months, from January 16, 2024 to March 1 2025, to correctly reflect the particulars of the person to whom the identity number was assigned to after determining the identity numbers against which markers had been placed. This had prompted the department to call on persons with blocked…

ACTING Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has hinted at the possibility of declassifying the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) report on the conduct of members of the Presidential Protection Unit in the controversial investigation into the theft at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm. Cachalia, in response to parliamentary questions from EFF MP Mazwi Blose, stated that IPID is contemplating revising the classification status of the report, which has been designated as “Top Secret”. “This is in view of the need to balance the individual rights as alluded to above with the public interest to access information,” he said. Blose sought clarity on when the report would be declassified for public access, especially following earlier confirmations from suspended Minister Senzo Mchunu earlier this year that the document had been referred to…

AT the beginning of this month, gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) was officially declared a National Disaster in South Africa. However, this week, the nation rose up to an unforgivable reality: The Western Cape has no rape kits whatsoever. Although this was so vehemently denied by a scrambling SA Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson, Colonel Andrè Traut, mere days ago, an oversight inspection has revealed that the Western Cape’s central SAPS depot is completely bare — with zero D1 (adult) or D7 (child) rape kits available. The so-called “city that’s working”, has been hiding a deplorable truth. The very depot meant to equip police stations with rape kits — the first step in protecting survivors — is standing empty. Not understocked. Not running low. Empty! The most unnerving fact of the…

On December 16, the country will celebrate 30 years of Reconciliation Day. Until 1995, this day was known as Dingane’s Day or Day of the Vow. King Dingane, who planned the killing of Boers in 1938 after luring them into his kraal, died on January 29, 1840. The Boers made a vow to God that if they were to win against Dingane, they would build a church to thank God. Their wish came true at the Battle of Blood River. It was for these reasons that the day had two names – one acknowledging King Dingane, the other acknowledging the Boers. The current labelling of this day as “Reconciliation Day” was meant to heal the old wounds and build a post-apartheid nation. The extent to which we have been able…

An under-strength Bulls team will be hard-pressed to beat Northampton on Sunday evening at Franklin Gardens, but the brash Henry Pollock being put in his place would be a comforting second prize. The precocious Pollock, with his peroxide blond hair, is the figurehead of the England arrogance stemming from their winning streak in 2025. That culminated in the English saying it was a pity that they had not played the Springboks in November, with the inference that they would have beaten them. You would forgive Johan Ackermann — the antithesis of showman Pollock when he played for the Springboks — for having a quiet word with Elrigh Louw and Marcell Coetzee about enticing Pollock down a blind alley at a busy ruck where the referee might be unsighted… Jokes —…

Bafana Bafana could be perfectly positioned to mount a serious challenge for a second Africa Cup of Nations title as they look to end a 30-year wait for the elusive crown. Arguably enjoying their best run of form in quite some time, belief is far stronger heading into this edition of the tournament. While hope has accompanied many previous campaigns, this time confidence is firmly rooted in performances and results, with momentum carrying Bafana into the competition. Hugo Broos and his charges have steadily been on the rise, with their reputation enhanced not only by a third-place finish at the previous Afcon but also by a convincing 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifying campaign. That progress has helped restore belief around the national team and ensured Bafana head into the tournament…

Dusi Canoe Marathon ace Andy Birkett will team up with his winning partner from 2024, Matt Fenn, in next year's race from February 19-21, where he could secure the tile of undisputed Dusi king with a 16th triumph. The legendary paddler is currently tied on 15 titles with the late Graeme Pope-Ellis. Next year’s race will be the first time that Birkett has the same partner as the previous K2 race since he won the Dusi twice with Jason Graham in 2012 and 2014. Should the Euro Steel duo win next year, Fenn will also become the first paddler, apart from Birkett, to win the prestigious race twice since Lance Kime won the K2 race with Birkett in 2016. “We’ve started getting excited for Dusi, but it is still a…

The Spar Proteas surged into the final of the Africa Netball Cup with a comprehensive 85-32 victory over Zimbabwe at Griffin Saenda Sports Complex in Lilongwe, Malawi, yesterday afternoon and setting up a final against arch-rivals Uganda. The gulf in class between coach Jenny van Dyk’s defending champions and Zimbabwe was again evident from the first centre pass, as they flew into an 18-7 lead at the end of the first quarter, and led 40-16 by the half-time break. The match was all but over as a contest at that stage but the Proteas continued to press home their advantage to run out comfortable winners, even in the face of a number of substitutions. Elemaré van den Berg was restored to her starting role at goal shooter, and her combination…

I WAS scrolling through TikTok the other night, you know, just trying to escape the day, when a clip of an old kasi uncle stopped me mid-scroll. The slang was loud, the delivery was pure township poetry, and he dropped a line that spoke straight to the soul: “Andiyo moegoe!” Translation? Don’t play with me. Don’t test me. Don’t take me for a fool. And suddenly, just like that, I was reminded of Minister Senzo Mchunu and his unforgettable attempt at redefining the urgency of the English language… because if there was ever a national moment where South Africans collectively wanted to look a politician dead in the eye and say “andiyo moegoe!”, it was when the minister confidently declared: “It was immediate, but there was a meeting that was…

THERE are moments in history when two nations, though separated by ocean and circumstance, discover that their stories have always been chapters of the same book. Haiti and South Africa are such nations — countries born through fire, forged in resistance, and defined not by the chains that once bound them but by the courage that broke those chains forever. Haiti was the first Black republic in the world, the first nation to defeat the European slave empires and declare that Africans, wherever they stood, were born free. South Africa, centuries later, completed that arc by dismantling apartheid and proclaiming to the world that dignity, equality, and human worth would not be negotiable. Across time and distance, these two revolutions speak to each other. For more than two centuries, Haiti…

IT is not difficult to calculate the number of wars President Donald J. Trump claims to have negotiated into a state of peace. Eight, to be exact, according to the enigmatic president. What the actual number is to be sure, is a function of perspective. Preferably, the recitation of each one of them could be to analyse them chronologically. Or, where the counting should start is, as the verses of the Good Book command, right from the beginning. Oddly, it could not be said with certainty that the order of resolving each conflict followed any chronology, or the determination of the age of the conflict, at least not to the extent that the older the conflict ranked in time, the first it would enjoy pride of place. President Donald J…

PROFESSIONALISATION of the SA Police Service (SAPS), ensuring that the appointments for the national police commissioners are transparent and that interviews be held in public, are some of the key changes needed as part of the organisational clean-up in the police, following claims of political interference, and links to criminal cartels, experts say. Professor William Gumede, a governance expert from Wits University, stated that the country should bring back merit-based and professional appointments to the police as a start. “One of the reasons we are here (corruption and criminal cartel links) is because of cadre deployment within the police. Most former national police commissioners were politicians. When you appoint politicians as police commissioners, you can expect failure, political interference, etc. You can expect that they have to report to their…

INDEPENDENT Media has accused the Daily Maverick of “hypocrisy” and “misrepresentation” after the publication criticised the company’s decision to appeal one aspect of the Competition Commission’s MDPMI final report. In a statement released on Thursday, the group said that through an analysis by journalist Rebecca Davis, the Daily Maverick had attempted to portray its appeal as improper, despite it being a constitutional right. Out of the report, Independent Media challenged the requirement that media houses be members of the Press Council of South Africa (PCSA) to qualify for redress related to Big Tech’s conduct. “It is absurd for Daily Maverick to presume that it can dictate how other media organisations should interpret or respond to the MDPMI report,” the statement reads, adding that the Daily Maverick’s framing appears aimed at…

NATIONAL Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza has been mentioned as one of the leaders who might be lobbied to contest the ANC presidency at the next elective conference, in which President Cyril Ramaphosa will step down. According to an ANC regional leader in KwaZulu-Natal, who attended the party’s National General Council (NGC) in Johannesburg recently, some ANC delegates unofficially indicated that they might nominate Didiza to contest the party’s highest position. “Since she is the Speaker at the National Assembly, obviously, she would be able to replace Ramaphosa and be sympathetic towards him after he had left the office,” said the regional leader. He said the ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula blocked the succession debate when some delegates attempted to raise it at the NGC gathering. “But as a member of the…

A Judicial Conduct Committee has recommended the appointment of a tribunal to investigate a racist complaint against Eastern Cape High Court Judge, Judge Belinda Hartle, who is alleged to have used the “K-word.” The complaint was lodged by Thozamile Semekazi, an employee of the Office of the Chief Justice based in East London. Semekazi, with 23 years of service, alleges that on May 15, 2025, at the High Court in East London, he was delivering case flow management files to Judge Hartle's secretary's office when the judge entered. According to Semekazi, the judge, upon being informed of his purpose, allegedly uttered the following expletives: “F**k You, p**s man,” repeatedly, and then, “I am tired of Mafala’s staff, bloody f******g K****.” Semekazi claims the Judge's secretary was present and appeared amused.…

The ANC’s National General Council (NGC) is an organisational oddity, and few members of the public actually know what to expect of it. It is not a conference, and it does not elect party leaders. It is also not a policy-making body. The ANC established it in 2000, and its mandate is to be a mid-term event where progress made with the implementation of the preceding National Conference resolutions is evaluated. It is normally held quite close to the next local government elections. This year’s NGC is different in the sense that it is the first meeting of its kind in 10 years. The one meant for 2020 did not materialise because of the Covid-19 pandemic. NGCs are not meant to be action-packed events, but are characterised by long commission…

The Proteas are in the rarefied thin air of Dharamsala for the third T20I against India. At 1 457 metres above sea level, and situated in the picturesque snow-capped Himalayan mountains, it is one of the coldest cricket grounds in the world with temperatures hovering around five degrees Celsius. “It is really cold,” Proteas coach Shukri Conrad admitted. “But look, it's a wonderful place here. We're staying up in the mountain there, looking down here. This morning, I was up early enough to experience that cold as well. “But look, it's all part of taking in the experience of touring here, coming to a wonderful place like this. I've had to cancel a meeting because some of our guys are on a hike, still caught in the mountains somewhere. But…

ORLANDO PIRATES (0) (2) Luthuli 68’, Radiopane 80’ CARLING ALL STARS (0) (0) Orlando Pirates proved that they have mastered how and when to turn it on at ‘final’ festivals in the first half of the 2025 season — and not even a PSL combined “All Stars” team or rainy weather conditions could derail them. Pirates won the Carling Cup after beating the All Stars team 2–0 at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban yesterday, courtesy of goals from substitutes Sifiso Luthuli and Boitumelo Radiopane. While this was an unofficial trophy, it still counts toward the team’s domestic success so far this season, after they bagged the MTN8 — their fourth in a row — and the Carling Knockout for the first time in three attempts. The strides made by this…

England’s troubled Ashes campaign has drawn further attention following an incident involving a member of the team’s security staff and a Channel Seven cameraman at Brisbane airport. The altercation occurred yesterday as the England squad was preparing to travel to Adelaide ahead of the third Test, scheduled to begin on Wednesday. Footage shared by Australia’s Channel 7 shows a member of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) security team confronting a cameraman during the check-in process. In the video, the ECB security guard is heard repeatedly telling the cameraman to step back. Channel 7 described the exchange as 'aggressive', while images published by CODE Sports appear to show the security official standing back as the cameraman continued filming. The ECB chose not to comment on the incident, which sections…

With 13 games played, Bayern Munich are already eight points clear at the top of the Bundesliga and look set to welcome back lightning-fast wing-back Alphonso Davies this weekend. Davies came off the bench at the end of Bayern’s 3-1 home Champions League win over Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday. Included in the squad for today's home clash with rock-bottom Mainz, the Canada captain is in line to play his first Bundesliga match since tearing his ACL on international duty in March. Bayern's blockbusting form - the German giants have dropped just two points in the Bundesliga this season - means coach Vincent Kompany can afford to ease Davies back into the starting XI. Writing on social media after the match, Davies said: "Good to be back doing what I love…

Tete Dijana redeemed himself in the Comrades Marathon after a painful run last year; Gerda Steyn reigned supreme yet again; Glenrose Xaba’s star continued to rise; Elroy Gelant usurped an ‘oom’ as the country’s foremost marathon runner. What a year of road running we’ve had. Road Running writer Matshelane Mamabolo reflects on the year and is pained by the death of a runner stuck by a car at the Soweto Marathon and would love to see the ASA leadership cleaning up their act in the upcoming year. THE GOOD Elroy you Beauty! After a superb 2024 in which he won the national marathon title and ran like the wind in the popular Absa Run Your City Series and every other race while also representing the country well in the Olympics…