As South Africa commemorates Youth Month and reflects on the legacy of the 1976 Soweto Uprising, members of the University of Johannesburg (UJ) community are demonstrating that the spirit of resilience, determination and leadership remains alive in a new generation.
This year’s Comrades Marathon provided a powerful example of these values in action as UJ staff joined thousands of runners in completing one of the world’s most demanding endurance races. Runners from across faculties, departments and clubs stepped up to show the power of the human spirit and the Orange Army.
Over 20 UJ staff members took part in the race. Among the UJ participants were Professor Tankiso Moloi, Executive Dean of the College of Business and Economics (CBE) who completed his record 10th Comrades Marathon (inducting him into the prestigious Green Number Club), Mr Abrie Senekal from the Department of Emergency Medical Care (EMC) (Health Sciences) who completed his 4th Comrades, Dimakatso Mashinini and Akhona Neka from the Division for Teaching Excellence, Dr Chad Harris from the Department of Philosophy (Humanities), Associate Professor Odile Robertson from Anthropology and Development Studies (Humanities), Dr Imo-Rhesa Nel from the Department of Practical Business Law, Kgabo Masehela from Commercial Accounting (Soweto Campus) and ICS’s Macdonald Maloka.
Prof Moloi said about the Comrades: “They say the beautiful ultra teaches you a lot about yourself, and yesterday’s run did exactly that. It was one of the toughest days out there, but pushing through the setbacks made crossing the line even sweeter. Deeply grateful to have secured the legendary green number.”
For the first time this year, the UJ Athletics Club attended the Comrades Marathon to set up activations and refueling stations at the halfway point in Drummond and at the popular 79.1km mark at Mkondeni.
“A team from UJ Sport made their way down to the marathon to support the UJ staff and athletes. We took some branding, gazebos and UJ flags and partnered up with Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) to set up at the halfway mark and at the 79 km mark. We also provided our athletes with some fruits and Powerade to refuel them for the journey.
The whole aim is to support our staff going forward. The Comrades Marathon is an inspirational event. We want the message for healthy lifestyle and wellness to be seen and for more people to challenge themselves. These activations are done on behalf of the entire University as the Orange Army backing our athletes,” said Roger Haitengi, UJ Athletics Manager.
He added that UJ Sport intended to do more activations in the future supporting colleagues taking part in road races.
The achievement of the runners comes shortly after UJ honoured its founding Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Ihron Rensburg, by naming a student residence at the Soweto Campus after him, a symbolic reminder of the University’s commitment to transformation, opportunity and student success.
Youth Month and the Comrades Marathon both speak to the power of determination in the face of adversity. Just as the youth of Soweto demonstrated extraordinary courage in demanding educational rights and social justice, today’s students continue to pursue excellence through hard work, resilience and a commitment to personal growth.
Mr Haitengi added that the values that help students succeed at university are often the same qualities required to complete a race such as Comrades.
“Whether students are pursuing academic excellence, community leadership or sporting achievements, success requires commitment, resilience and the willingness to overcome challenges.”
For many participants, the Comrades Marathon served as a reminder that meaningful achievements are rarely easy. The race demands months of preparation, physical endurance and mental strength, qualities that are equally important in the pursuit of academic success and personal growth.
As South Africa marks Youth Month, the achievements of UJ’s Comrades runners offer a contemporary reflection of the resilience, determination and courage that have long characterised the country’s youth. From the historic streets of Soweto to the gruelling route between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, their journeys demonstrate that perseverance remains a powerful force for overcoming challenges and pursuing a better future.
