Comrades runners share stories of grit, purpose and perseverance
Veteran runner Blanche Moila and KwaZulu-Natal businessman and runner Siyanda Ntenga at the Comrades Marathon expo yesterday.
Image: Doctor Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers
AS THOUSANDS of runners prepare to take on the 2025 Comrades Marathon on Sunday, an 89.98km “down run” from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, two inspirational athletes remind us what the race truly represents: not just endurance, but a journey of healing, discipline, and purpose.
Sixty-year-old Silver Sebati is no stranger to the Comrades. Since his debut in 1998, Sebati has completed every race he entered, never recording a “Did Not Finish” (DNF). Now gearing up for his 26th run, he is determined to cross the finish line once again.
Based in Limpopo, Sebati runs for the South African National Defence Force Athletics Club. Though not a soldier, he proudly represents the club while working as a senior administrative clerk at the Department of Education in Limpopo.
“I get motivated the moment I finish. Finishing the race pushes me to come back the next year,” he says with a wide smile. His advice to the younger generation is clear: “Engage in physical activity; it refreshes the mind, fights stress, and helps to avoid depression. Running is not just for the body; it’s for the soul.”
Runner Silver Sebati gears up for his 26th running of the Comrades Marathon.
Image: Doctor Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers
Sebati credits his continued participation to one thing: his body. “My body is my doctor. If it allows me, I will run again next year.”
For the Durban-based businessman and philanthropist Siyanda Calvin Ntenga, Comrades was a lifeline during a challenging period of financial difficulty. What began as a personal mission to reclaim control over his life became a life-altering experience.
“The first time I ran Comrades, it transformed me. It reminded me that I’m capable of overcoming anything,” he says. “Since then, I’ve never been the same.” Discipline and perseverance are the core values Ntenga has drawn from his Comrades journey.
“Training demands consistency, waking up early, and pushing through pain. That grit follows you into every part of your life,” he explains.
Ntenga’s achievements extend far beyond the finish line. He is the founder of the Ntenga Foundation, which has supported underprivileged communities for 14 years. The foundation began with providing school uniforms and has since evolved to provide boreholes and sanitation facilities to schools in need. Its work is funded by the Ntenga Foundation Charity Race, now in its 11th edition, held annually on September 24.
“Helping others is my purpose,” Ntenga says. “When I sit at powerful tables, I speak for the voiceless.”
For both Sebati and Ntenga, the Comrades is more than a physical test; it’s a symbol of resilience, growth, and transformation. With supporters lining the route and cheering on every weary runner, the race becomes a shared celebration of human willpower. “When someone calls your name on the route, it’s like you’ve just crossed the finish line,” Ntenga says.