Every year since 2001, National Women’s Day has seen the streets of Cape Town, Joburg and Durban stream with close to 20 000 runners and walkers dressed in pink, racing in support of all mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts and grandmothers affected by breast cancer.
This year, however, the tide has turned for the Mother City, and the ‘Sea of Pink’ will only be seen in the streets of Joburg and Durban.
As a result of the ongoing taxi strike, the Cape Town leg of the Totalsports Women’s Race has been cancelled.
Also read: Taxi strike update: Violence flares up in parts of Cape Town
In an announcement made on social media, organisers said, ‘this was an extremely difficult decision for everyone involved, but as organisers, sponsors and all other stakeholders, we are obliged to make the safety and security of our runners our highest priority’.
‘In addition, we need to ensure that all runners have an equal and safe opportunity to take part in the event,’ the organisers added.
After monitoring the situation since the strike began, assessing all possible scenarios, and engaging in intense consultation with all stakeholders, the race organisers said the event would be cancelled for two main reasons:
(1) A serious safety concern for all runners, workers and suppliers to the event
(2) The danger and/or lack of public transport available to all entrants who need to get to race pack collection and the event itself on Wednesday.
Totalsports Women’s Race organisers said the possibility of hosting a replacement event will be assessed once the strike is eventually over.
Additionally, updates on how and when entrants who have not yet collected their race packs can do so will be shared on the event’s social media platforms and conveyed via SMS.
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Picture: Cape Town Central City Improvement District / Facebook