Comrades champ showered with honours

Published Jun 27, 2014

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Durban –

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela says her late former husband would have been smiling down on Bongumusa Mthembu when he won this year’s Comrades Marathon.

Madikizela-Mandela was representing the AbaThembu clan at a function on Thursday held to honour Mthembu and other top achievers from KwaZulu-Natal.

“It is no coincidence that you won this race on the 20th anniversary of our hard-earn-ed freedom. I know that where he (Mandela) is, he is proud of you,” said Madikizela-Mandela, who said it was her first public engagement since the death of her former husband.

At the event, Mthembu was showered with prizes by the provincial government, including a R120 000 bursary and a R30 000 cheque. The bursary will enable Mthembu to enrol at a high-performance centre.

Mthembu’s mentor and trainer, Willie Mtolo, was also honoured at the function, where it was announced he would head a provincial academy for long-distance runners.

The event, held at the Royal Showgrounds in Pietermaritz-burg, was attended by a number of other dignitaries, including King Goodwill Zwelithini and Premier Senzo Mchunu.

The runner expressed gratitude to all those who had help-ed him, especially his mother, who raised him and his siblings as a single parent after the death of his father in 1997.

“I would watch you wake up to go to work at 3am. I knew you did not have money, that is why I never even bothered you for money to go to university. I just prayed to God and hoped that I would succeed... I just want to say I am proud of you,” Mthembu said to his mother.

He and his mother had also been a guest of the premier during his State of the Province address, and were later part of a parade through the Pietermaritzburg CBD.

He said his mother had been reduced to tears in the legislature. “I could see the tears welling in her eyes when I looked at her and asked if she ever thought she would ever be invited to the legislature.”

Others who were honoured at the event included Nelisiwe Dlamini and Sizwe Gumede, the winner and runner-up in the I Want to Sing Gospel competition respectively.

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