NGUNGQONGQOSHE wezeMidlalo, uGayton McKenzie.

Mzwamandla Zondi
 
SIGXEKWE kakhulu isinqumo sikaNgqongqoshe wezeMidlalo, uGayton McKenzie sokuthi uzongenelela kwiSoweto Marathon, emuva kokungakhokhelwa kwabasubathi abebeyingxenye yayo nyakenye.

Umjaho wanyakenye wawunezingqinamba eziningi ngaphambi kokuba uqale, ngenxa yombango owawuphakathi kwezinhlangano ezimbili ezazifuna ukuwuhlela.

Lokho kwaholela ekutheni lo mjaho ugcine ube ngasekupheleni kukaNovember, hhayi ekuqaleni kwawo njengakweminye iminyaka yangaphambilini.

Ukungakhokhelwa kwabagijimi kuqubule umsindo ezinkundleni zokuxhumana, kanti iCentral Gauteng Athletics (CGA) ne-Athletics South Africa (ASA) bebengakaze besho lutho ngokukweletwa kwabagijimi.

Ngeledlule uMcKenzie utshele abezindaba ukuthi bewuhulumeni bazongenelela ekukhokheleni abagijimi.

Uthe iyamkhathaza le nto yokungakhokhelwa kwabo.

"Futhi sizophenya ukuthola ukuthi kwenzekeni, uma kukhona okufanele baboshwe bazoboshwa ukuze umjaho uqhubeke ngoba unomlando ocebile kuleli. Ngeke siwuyekele umjaho ofana nalona ukuba ufadalale," kusho uMcKenzie.

Sekuwumlando ukuthi lo mjaho wanqotshwa nguKhoarahlane Seutloali weseLesotho (osesithombeni, ngezansi) noMargaret Jepchumba waseKenya ngokwehlukana kobulili.

Inkulumo kaMcKenzie yamukelwe ngezindlela ezahlukene, abanye bamsolile ngesenzo sokukhuluma ngeSoweto Marathon ekubeni ikhona eminye imijaho engabakhokhelile abagijimi.

Bathi iWorld Athletics (WA) kayiwuvumeli uhulumeni ukungenelela kwezemidlalo. Bathi kunezinye izindlela abengazisebenzisa.

Omunye wemijaho esakweleta abagijimi, yiMpumalanga Marathon ebiphethe isamba sika-R1 million kwizingqwele.

Lo mjaho wanqotshwa nguJobo Khoatane waseLesotho noTadu Nare wase-Ethiopia.

UMandla Mngomezulu olilungu le-ASA, uthe: "Siyabonga ngenkulumo kangqongqoshe. Kubuhlungu kubagijimi ukugijima bangayitholi imali yabo.

"Ungqongqoshe kakufanele abheke iSoweto kuphela, ikhona neminye imijaho engabakhokhelile abagijimi.

"Okubalulekile wukuba uMcKenzie aqinisekise ukuthi usebenzisana ne-ASA noma iSports Confederation ukusiza kwiSoweto ngoba yena akanalo ilungelo lokungenelela kwezemidlalo njengohulumeni. I-WA kayikuvumi lokho. Kumanje sivele kasikho bahle kwiWA siyi-ASA."