Africa: Soweto Marathon Outstanding Prize Money - Athletes to Receive 'Partial' Payment

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying a Daily Maverick report by Annemieke Thomaidis, reports that athletes owed prize money from the 2025 Soweto Marathon may soon receive a partial payment, eight months after the race. The update follows a 17 July statement from Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA), the provincial athletics body, on efforts to address the unresolved payments to race winners and other affected athletes.

According to the report, CGA said it met on 11 May with beneficiary clubs linked to the Soweto Marathon to get an update from race organisers on the unpaid prize money. The body also repeated that it would not sanction the 2026 edition of the event until outstanding governance issues are resolved. That decision matters because official sanctioning is a key requirement for major athletics events and signals continuing concern over the race’s administration.

CGA said race organisers indicated that some money from the 2024 Soweto Marathon remains available and is being held by the Gauteng Sports Confederation. The amount was described as limited and not enough to cover the full prize-money debt. CGA said it had engaged the confederation to help release the funds and would work to distribute what is available to affected athletes as soon as reasonably possible, while continuing efforts to address the remaining shortfall.

The Soweto Marathon is one of South Africa’s best-known road races, and delays in paying winners raise concerns for athletes who rely on prize earnings, as well as for public trust in event management. The report does not state when payments will be made or how much each athlete will receive.