Two joggers training for the 2024 Comrades Marathon were targeted in a brazen robbery in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
Suspects target brazen Comrades joggers in brazen robbery
The shocking ordeal, which unfolded on Wednesday, 8 May 2024, culminated in a horrific ordeal for an innocent eyewitness.
According to reports, Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) responded to the scene on the R102 between Ottawa and Palmview at 09:02.
Upon arrival, officers found a 56-year-old man suffering from a heart attack after witnessing the robbery.
The victims, including the joggers who were training for the upcoming 2024 Comrades Marathon, were allegedly ambushed by three armed suspects while jogging along the southbound lane.
The assailants robbed them of valuables, including expensive sneakers and specialised sports watches.
The suspects then targeted the driver of a blue bakkie on the northbound lane.
Minutes later, a white Isuzu bakkie arrived to assist the blue bakkie’s driver. Realising the situation, one of the occupants of the Isuzu suffered a heart attack.
The suspects made off unscathed and the victim of the heart attack was recovering in hospital when this article was published.
Everything you need to know about the 2024 Comrades Marathon
The 2024 Comrades Marathon, an iconic ultra-marathon in South Africa, will take place on Sunday, 9 June 2024.
The race will start at 05:30 and finish at 17:30, covering approximately 85.9 kilometres.
This year’s marathon is an “Up Run,” beginning at the City Hall in Durban and concluding in Pietermaritzburg.
CMA Chairperson Mqondisi Ngcobo confirmed the details after a board meeting, expressing excitement for the return to Pietermaritzburg.
This will be the first Up Run since 2019, as the 2020 and 2021 races were canceled due to Covid-19, and the 2022 and 2023 races were Down Runs.
Race Director Rowyn James mentioned that they are currently evaluating suitable finish venues and will announce further details at the official race launch later this year.
The Comrades Marathon, with its rich history and tradition, continues to attract runners from around the world, eager to take on the grueling challenge.