Kana to use Rock City Ladies 10km to identify talent in Zamdela, Sasolburg

As South Africa celebrates its women this month, runners have been given the opportunity to get in on the act by taking part in a number of races. Tomorrow a series that has become synonymous with women's running in the country, the SPAR Grand Prix comes to Pretoria where Helalia Johannes who won a bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games Marathon less than seven days ago will be in action.

Taking place in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban at the same time on National Women’s Day (Tuesday 09 August 2022) the Totalsports Women’s Race will boast the largest field of female runners and has attracted an impressive list of elite athletes including Tanith Maxwell, Zintle Xiniwe, Fortunate Chidzivo, Olympian, multiple SA Champion and record holder Zola Pieterse (née Budd), Glenrose Xaba, Lebo Phalula, Lebogang Phalula, Cacisile Sosibo and Tayla Kavanagh to mention just a few. And there are also a few smaller clubs that will be doing the same.

Kana who also volunteers at many races in Gauteng, the Free State and the North West as a marshal says she hopes to discover more talented girls in the Sasolburg township of Zamdela. Photo Credit: Nondumiso Kana.

The Sasolburg Athletic Club will be hosting the Rock City Ladies race tomorrow. The 10km race which also allows men to participate is the brainchild of Nondumiso Kana who has been with the club for eighteen years. Hailing from the Sasolburg township of Zamdela, Kana says she is impressed with the talent in the area but feels there isn't enough support for up and coming athletes which is why she decided to start the race.

"Sasolburg is small town but has talented athletes in road running, track and field cross country. We are trying to encourage ladies to have that va-va-voom to run! The race is meant to show women that road running is not a sport for men but women as well. We are all equal in the sport of running,” Kana explained.

Taking place at the DP de Villiers Stadium in the northern Free State town at 7am on Saturday 6 August, the Rock City Ladies Race is aiming to grow participation where top female competitors are increasingly lacking. Kana is therefore also aiming to use the event as a means for identifying talented young female athletes.

“I sat down with my committee and asked if we could have a ladies race so that we could encourage more ladies because I have seen that in Zamdela we have so much potential. We have energy and effort. So the people mustn’t think that everything only happens in Soweto. They must know that we also have races here at home. The goal is that once we have more ladies running then we can take them to run the SPAR Grand Prix,” she said.