Inaugural Nelson Mandela Marathon kicks off in Cape Town

The inaugural 42, 2 kilometre Nelson Mandela Marathon has kicked off in Cape Town from the starting point near the Castle of Good Hope .

The race is labelled as the world’s first value-based running series, which also forms part of the Mandela Legacy Sporting Series.

Thousands of runners are set to take to the streets of Cape Town this morning for the inaugural Nelson Mandela Marathon.

Local and international athletes will compete in the 42-kilometre marathon, alongside the Slave Route Challenge #MorningLive #SABCNews — SABCNews_MorningLive (@MorningLiveSABC) October 18, 2026 Organised by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the marathon is rooted in Madiba’s belief in the power of sport to unite people and drive collective action.

It’s aim is to ultimately be recognised as one of the global Marathon Majors.

It has Kenyan long-distance icons, Catherine Ndereba and Dr Paul Tergat as its ambassadors. [ON AIR] As the inaugural Nelson Mandela Marathon gets underway in Cape Town this morning, our Chief Executive, Dr Mbongiseni Buthelezi, spoke to @MorningLiveSABC about the significance of this historic event and the Foundation’s commitment to mobilising Madiba’s legacy.

Our ambition is not simply to see millions of people running in Madiba’s name.

We want people to ask themselves what his values demand of us today, and how we can translate those values into meaningful action.

Through the Nelson Mandela Marathon and the Global Running Series, we hope to connect people across generations, communities and borders, guided by the values of courage, dignity, equality, unity and freedom.

Remembering Madiba matters.

What we do with his legacy matters just as much. #NelsonMandelaMarathon #RiseRememberRun #NelsonMandelaFoundation — Nelson Mandela Foundation (@NelsonMandela) October 18, 2026 VIDEO | Inaugural Nelson Mandela Marathon