EDITOR – What an absolute pleasure to watch the Comrades Marathon. The two things that stick again were the total mix of people taking part – old, young, all races, tubby and slim – plus a few overseas folks who did not take home all the prize money this year. Wonderful!
But above all there was virtually no political grandstanding. The MC at the prize-giving was among the best I have ever heard. No hesitations, not one ‘You know’ or ‘Um’ in her phrases and a great speaking voice. She went through the medals and prizes programme in an excellent, professional manner.
The Comrades Marathon race shows quite clearly that when the politicians back off and leave South Africans to themselves, we are capable of organising well run, happy, cross-cultural events of great significance. More nation-building in a day than the government has created in more than 20 years.
The Comrades Marathon gives to us far more local meaning of the word ‘comrade’. Most of us are sick and tired of the hackneyed, divisive meaning of the word as derived from outdated Marxist history – so loved by our government politicians who continue to push the Nationalist Socialist Revolutionary jargon and its associated policies.
John Davison
Pinetown
