The MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture Ms. Desery Fienies will officiate the inaugural Phakamile Mabija Human Rights Half Marathon which will be held in Kimberley in the Frances Baard District on Sunday, 21 March 2021. The marathon was postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak in the country last year. It forms part of Department's 2021 Human Rights Month programmes to be commemorated under the theme: “The year of Charlotte Maxeke: promoting human rights in the Age of COVID-19”.
Phakamile Mabija Human Rights Half Marathon was conceptualised by the Teemaneng Running Club. The half marathon is named after Mabija, a struggle activist who died in the hands of apartheid police. Although the race will start at the Kimberley Technical High School, it will be divided into 21-point-1 kilometre stretch and the 10 kilometre distance. Athletes are expected to arrive and get screened for the race by 05:00 am. The MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture Ms. Desery Fienies will officially open the race by 06:00 am.
The 21 kilometre distance will proceed down Cronin Street towards Carters Road, cross over at the four way stop of Carters Road and turn left into Jameson Street. The race will continue with Jameson until the T-junction at Pickering Street, turn left into pickering and continue towards the Carters Road four way stop. It will turn right into Carters Road and continue towards the R31 traffic cycle where it will again turn right at the cycle and continue with R31 until the N8 traffic cycle. The 21 kilometre race will turn right at the traffic cycle into Smidtsdrift Road towards the Tswelelopele Correctional Centre traffic lights where athletes turn left into Nobengula Street and the traffic lights and continue with Nobengula Street all the way to the Galeshewe Pick ‘n Pay traffic cycle. They will proceed to turn into Seochwareng Street at the traffic cycle and continue until the Seochwareng/Hulana Street four way stop.
It will turn right at the Seochwareng/Hulana Street four way stop and continue with Hulana Street until the Morgan Street T-Junction. This is where they will turn right at Morgan Street and continue until the Royal Street traffic lights where they turn left into Royal Street and Continue with Royal until the Corless Road junction. At the junction the race will turn left into Corless Road and continue until the Galeshewe Day Hospital traffic lights and proceed straight into Tyson Street/Galeshewe Highway all the way to the Pniel Road traffic lights where they will turn right into Pniel Road and continue until the Cecil Sussman traffic lights. The race will turn left into Cecil Sussman and continue until the Phakamile Mabija Road traffic lights. It will turn right into Phakamile Mabija Road and continue until the Roper/Green Street traffic lights where it will turn right into Roper/Green Street and continue until the Tucker Street traffic lights. It will turn left into Tucker Street and continue around the Big Hole precinct passing the Protea Hotel Big Hole and MSCC. It will continue until the Long Street traffic lights and then cross over to Waterworks Street where it will proceed straight with Waterworks Street until the Jacobus Smith four way stop at the Virgin Active Gym where it turn right into Jacobus Street and continue until the Cronin Street three way stop. At the three way stop the race will turn right into Cronin Street and continue to finish at the Technical High School gate where the race started.
On the other hand the 10 kilometre race will also begin at Technical High School gate and proceed down Cronin Street towards Carters Road. It will then turn left into Carters Road and continue with Carters Road until the R31 traffic cycle. This is where it will turn right into R31 and continue with R31 towards the N8 traffic cycle. It will turn right at the N8 traffic cycle and get into Schimdtsdrift Road towards the Tswelelopele Correction Centre. Here athletes will proceed with Schimdtsdrift Road until Cronin Street then turn right into Cronin Street. They will continue with Cronin Street, crossing over at Carters Road four way stop to go towards the Technical High School gate the finish where the race started. Athletes can also register for a virtual race that has been scheduled over 5 kilometre distance. Age tags must be visible and on the correct place. Two license numbers on the front and back must be visible for the physical race which will be under strict Covid-19 regulations.
This year’s commemoration of Human Rights Month coincides with the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution. The Constitution enshrines the rights of all people in South Africa and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom.
Government is calling on all South Africans to use Human Rights Month to foster greater social cohesion, nation building and a shared national identity.
-End-
Issued by: Communications Unit
Northern Cape Sport, Arts and Culture Department
Tell: 053 807 4782/ Cell: 078 944 0200 / 083 210 8312.
