99th Comrades Marathon and Extended Weekend Kickstart for Durban

A large number of runners, spectators, and tourists are anticipated to provide a significant financial boost to Durban and KwaZulu-Natal this extended weekend, coinciding with the 99th edition of the globally recognized Comrades Marathon on Sunday.

The eThekwini Municipality reports that this ultramarathon is expected to feature over 21,600 participants from South Africa and around the globe, with approximately 65,000 spectators expected along the more than 85km course between Durban and Pietermaritzburg for this year’s ‘up run’.

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Alongside the runners, there will be hundreds of support staff, media personnel, police, race marshals, and volunteers. Local businesses in the hospitality, accommodation, transport, and retail sectors are predicted to enjoy a lucrative weekend.

Numerous runners and their families arrived as early as Friday and are expected to remain until Tuesday, thanks to the Youth Day public holiday creating a long weekend. This has also led to an increase in domestic tourists visiting the coast to enjoy the pleasant weather.

Watch the Comrades Marathon YouTube Live channel below:

According to the eThekwini Municipality, the event plays a crucial role in boosting the city’s economy, with visitor spending expected to benefit various tourism-related businesses during the marathon weekend.

“The Comrades Marathon continues to be a vital economic driver for eThekwini, attracting thousands of visitors whose spending significantly contributes to the local economy through accommodation, transport, hospitality, retail, and tourism activities.”

The municipality further stated that authorities have initiated a multi-departmental operational plan to manage the surge of visitors and ensure that services remain functional during the event, creating approximately 1,300 temporary jobs.

“To ensure that the city is completely prepared for the event, a thorough operational plan has been activated as part of eThekwini Municipality’s readiness programme.”

Waste management teams will be present along the route from Durban City Hall to Cato Ridge to collect trash and recyclable materials, with additional waste bins placed in high-traffic spectator areas.

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Safety and traffic management strategies will also be put in place, with Durban Metro Police officers positioned at key locations along the route and in major gathering spots.

“The safety and security of both participants and spectators remains our top priority,” states the municipality.

On race day, several major roads, including parts of the M13, R103, and Josiah Gumede Road, will be closed and reopened once the last runner has passed. The municipality will also set up a fan park at Kings Park Athletics Stadium where spectators can watch live race coverage throughout the day.

Meanwhile, the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) announced this week that the total prize purse for this year’s event exceeds R8.2 million, including prize money and incentive bonuses.

“The 2026 Comrades Marathon is poised to reward top-performing runners generously for their race-day efforts,” it says.

This includes R925,000 in prize money for each of the first man and woman to cross the finish line, while runners-up will receive R464,000 and third-place finishers will get R334,000.

“The prize money for the top 10 men and women also includes a Cell C ‘top-up’ that enhances their earnings by over 30%, and the first 10 men and women will receive solid gold medals,” notes the CMA.