Soweto Marathon organisers change starting time for marathon

By Charles Baloyi
7th November 2025

The organisers of the Soweto Marathon Non-Profit Company (NPC) have announced changes to the starting times for the much-anticipated Soweto Marathon, scheduled to take place on 29 November at Nasrec.

The People’s Race has always been hosted on a Sunday when traffic is minimal. However, this year, it will take place on a busy month-end Saturday, prompting schedule adjustments.

NPC spokesperson Jabu Mbuli told SABC Sport that all three races — the 10km, 21.1km, and 42.2km — will now start 30 minutes earlier to accommodate the increased activity expected in Soweto on the day.

"The marathon will start at 5 o'clock, the 21km event will start at 6 o'clock, and the 10km race will begin at 7 am. This year, we are also going to enforce those cut-off times."

Mbuli explained to the national broadcaster that the new cutoff times were introduced to ensure that Soweto’s busiest roads are reopened early, allowing residents to continue with their daily plans without major disruptions.

Despite threats from the Soweto Marathon Trust — which warned that the event should not proceed unless organised by them — Mbuli assured that runner safety remains a top priority and that the marathon will go ahead as planned.

"The race will have adequate safety on the roads after successful meetings with the security clusters led by SAPS."

Mbuli added that preparations are on track, revealing that the NPC has conducted several dry runs alongside the police, sponsors, and the City of Johannesburg to ensure that every logistical aspect is ready for race day.