• Programme Director;
• The National Commissioner for the South African Police Service, General SF Masemola;
• The Provincial Commissioner of KwaZulu- Natal province; Lt General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi;
• Divisional Commissioner for Human Resource Development, Lt General (Dr) Bongi Zulu;
• The Principal Officer of Polmed; Ms Neo Khauoe;
• Deputy Provincial Commissioners, District Commissioners and Station Commanders present;
• Our SAPS Comrades Marathon Runners;
• Members of the Media;
• Ladies and Gentlemen;

Today, reminds me of the Pretoria Marathon race on 23 February 2025, when more than 600 police officers and SAPS employees including the National Commissioner, the Deputy National Commissioners of Crime Detection and Policing as well as myself took part in the 42.2 and 21km race. 

Why are you so surprised? It’s like you are doubting our participation…. 

Okay, let me tell you all the truth, myself and the National Commissioner, and DNC Sibiya and a few others only took part in the 5km race. 

It was Deputy National Commissioner for Policing, Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili who beat us to it, by running the 21km alongside many other officers. 

Indeed, we are leading the fitness campaign from the front. 

Colleagues, there’s something extraordinary about the Comrades Marathon – not just in the distance, but in what it asks of every person who runs it. 

This year, our employees are once again taking on the Ultimate Human Race. And with every step, they carry something meaningful – a story, a reason, a quiet determination that’s been building for months. 

The journey to the start line isn’t just physical. It’s shaped in early mornings, in moments of doubt, in the discipline it takes to keep going. And at every stage, there’s a network of support – from families, from  colleagues and from a culture that believes in the well-being of our employees beyond the everyday. 

That’s how we show up – not in the spotlight, but just behind it. Creating space for our people to grow, to achieve something personal, and to feel what it means to be part of something bigger. 

We are all Chasing Greatness. 

We are once again here today to wish you well as the National Commissioner put it so eloquently about how proud of you we all are. Many of us cannot even dream of running a 42.2 kilometres race, but here you are ready to take on more than 80 kilometres. 

I am here to thank all of you for being the beacon of greatness within our ranks by showing many others how fitness is maintained in our mighty organisation. 

Let me take this opportunity to thank our main sponsor, Polmed. Ous Neo your support to our athletes always exceeds expectations and for that, we would like to thank you wholeheartedly for making our runners look good. 

To the marathon and athletics committees, we would like to thank you for working tirelessly in ensuring the SAPS sends a team of runners to the Comrades Marathon. 

I see many organisations sending runners to the comrades but I think the SAPS is the government department that sends the most runners. 

We therefore applaud you and your commanders for allowing you to take time off to practise. 

General Masemola, we want to thank you for leading from the front and always showing this kind of support to our runners. 

To the Provincial Commissioner of KZN, thank you for the hospitality and for ensuring that our members are well taken care of in your province. 

To all the Provincial Commissioners thank you for your amazing support to our athletes, I saw many of you held send-off parades. 

The support and presence of the management of the SAPS here is indicative of how seriously SAPS management, take fitness in the organisation. 

To General Masemola and to all the Provincial Commissioners and Divisional Commissioners that are here especially, the head of Training, your support is the highest level of support these runners can ever receive in the SAPS. 

We are made aware that other SAPS runners who are here with us, will not be running tomorrow, but are here to support you on the route during the race to ensure you have a great experience and support as you run. Their sportsmanship and camaraderie are commendable values which we as SAPS management applaud because it shows that even if you are not running the race, you can still take part in it by supporting others and cheering for them along the route. 

Good luck to all of you on your race. 

So, remember to run with strength. Run with pride. Run for the person you were when you took your first step of training – and for the person you will become when you take your final step across that finish line. 

Run brave. Run bold. Run strong and don’t forget to raise the SAPS flag high! 

I THANK YOU!