BY GCWALISILE MHLABANE
MANZINI – Honouring the sacrifices of freedom fighters who risked their lives in the struggle for liberation, more than 1 000 participants gathered in Manzini on August 8, 2026, for the 43 Kwamagogo Legacy Walk and Run 2026.
The 15th edition of the annual event brought together runners and walkers for a day of sport, remembrance and celebration of freedom, with participants competing in the 10km and 21km races.
Hosted by Golden Foot Club, the event paid tribute to Gogo Rebecca Masilela, who played a significant role in the struggle for freedom in South Africa during the apartheid era.
The Kwamagogo Legacy event, established in 2009, has grown beyond a sporting competition to become a platform for preserving the history of those who made sacrifices during Africa’s liberation struggles.
It is particularly linked to the history of young South Africans who fled Bantu Education and apartheid-era oppression and crossed into KaNgwane, now Eswatini, in search of safety and freedom.
One of the biggest highlights of this year’s race was the outstanding performance of 15-year-old Amahle Mathunywa of RES Athletics Club, who stunned the field to win the women’s 21km on her debut over the distance.
Mathunywa, who has established herself as a 10km specialist, stepped up to the longer distance and delivered a strong performance against a competitive field.
After winning the women’s 21km, Mathunywa said the victory had motivated her to work harder and improve her performance.
“This means I have to keep going and pushing. I have to keep training and leave everyone else behind,” she said.
In the men’s 21km, UEDF’s full-marathon specialist Ntokozo Nkonyane claimed victory.
After securing the men’s 21km title, Nkonyane said the race had helped him improve his previous time and record a personal best.
“The time I clocked just now is my personal best compared to other races. My time was maybe one hour 10 minutes, but today I clocked one hour nine minutes,” he said.
The 10km category also produced strong performances, with Nkululeko Gama winning the men’s race and Sphesihle Nkhwenya taking first place in the women’s race.
After winning the women’s 10km, Nkhwenya reflected on the competitive nature of the race and the difficult course.
“Eish, there was a bit of a challenge because there were many runners ahead of me. Where it was really tough was at Mathunjwa; that hill was very long,” she said.
Beyond the medals and finishing times, the event carried a deeper historical message.
Kwamagogo Legacy Run founder Ellias Masilela explained that the number 43 is connected to the history of people who fled Bantu Education in South Africa and crossed into KaNgwane during the liberation struggle.
“Number 43 was used by people fleeing Bantu Education in South Africa to cross into KaNgwane,” Masilela said.
He said the significance of the event extends beyond KaNgwane and reflects the wider struggle for freedom across the continent.
“This celebration is very significant because it does not just celebrate KaNgwane. It celebrates the freedoms of all African nations,” he said.
Masilela further explained that people who went into exile eventually spread across different parts of the world, carrying the story of Africa’s liberation struggle with them.
As the event continues to attract more participants, organisers are already looking towards expanding its sporting programme.
Golden Foot Club representative Tokky Hou said the long-term ambition is to introduce a full 42km marathon alongside the existing 21km and 10km races.
“Our dream is that in the coming years we can have the 42, the 21 and the 10 because of the numbers that are there,” Hou said.
He welcomed the growing interest from sponsors and encouraged more organisations to become part of the event.
“We are very happy that there are now many other sponsors who want to be part of the Gogo Run and Golden Foot. We invite them as well, as we see it is good to be part of the running family in Eswatini,” he said.
The planned 42km race would further strengthen the Kwamagogo Legacy Run’s position on Eswatini’s athletics calendar alongside established long-distance events such as the Imbube Marathon, Luphohlo Marathon and Mbabane Marathon.
With more than 1000 participants taking part, the 43 Kwamagogo Legacy Walk and Run 2026 continues to demonstrate how sport can keep history alive, honour freedom fighters and inspire younger generations to appreciate the sacrifices that helped shape the freedoms enjoyed today.
#EswatiniPositiveNews #KwamagogoLegacyRun #Kwamagogo43 #LegacyWalkAndRun #FreedomFighters #GoldenFoot #Athletics #Sports #Manzini #Eswatini
