Correctional Services on running club in top ten at 2024 Comrades Marathon

A strong outfit of almost 300 ultramarathon athletes, adorned in the colours of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), represented their employer of choice with impeccable aplomb at the 97th Comrades Marathon Up-Run, from Durban City Hall to Hollywoodbets Scottsville Racecourse in Pietermaritzburg, on Sunday, 9 June 2024. 

With 40 novices participating in this year’s edition, DCS was the seventh (7th) biggest running club at this year’s Comrades Marathon with 298 entries. 

Once again, Mbusiseni Yaka, the 2022 and 2023 DCS male top runner, from Modderbee Correctional Facility in Gauteng region, repeated the feat as he emerged triumphant thus cementing his position as DCS undisputed ultramarathon athletics champion after crossing the finish line in 6:40:58, and, in the process, smashed his own record by a whopping 25 minutes. Ziphindile Dlamini, from Witbank Correctional Facility in Limpopo/Mpumalanga/North West (LMN) region, did not disappoint either as she also defended her crown as DCS top female runner. Her grit and determination saw her breaking her 2023 personal record by 18 minutes, after finishing the race in 8:23:53. 

National Commissioner, Makgothi Thobakgale expressed excitement over this year’s success. “We are happy with the improvement our runners have achieved. If you look at their times, you will realise that they have improved. If this year was a down run, we could be seeing something much better than this. We are happy with the overall achievement, and we wish to express our gratitude to the runners for their great achievements,” he said. 

Yaka is confident that he will break his new record in the next Comrades. “Personally, I expect to do better in the next edition. I believe I can do it in less than the time I clocked this year. I need to start early with preparations and training,” he predicted. 
DCS top female runner, Dlamini also believes there is room for improvement. “I can do better next year. I just need to train harder and be confident that I can do better,” she said.

DCS Legends runners, Johannes Molepo ran his 24th while Chris Klansie ran his 26th  Comrades Marathon.

The Comrades Marathon kick-started with exhibitions from 6-8 June 2024, and, for the second consecutive year, the DCS exhibition stall won a bronze medal, out of 110 exhibitors, for its outstanding exhibit, uniqueness and design. 
DCS top three athletes for both male and female categories are as follows:

Male    Finish Time   
1. Mbusiseni Yaka (Modderbee)    06:40:58    
2. Siyabonga Nyawo (Durban)    07:02:49    
3. Bosiki Masonwabe (Pollsmoor)    07:08:06    

 Female    Finish Time
1. Ziphindile Dlamini (Witbank)    08:23:45
2. Fortunate Khanyisile Hadebe (Johannesburg)    10:37:46
3. Eve Mchunu (Durban)    11:15:38