WHEN Fundiswa Ngxishe and thousands of other runners start their journey from Durban to Pietermaritzburg in the @ComradesMarathon race on June 14 this year, they will be looking for more than finishing. Among his interests is raising awareness of the abuse of women and children in South Africa.
For the lovers of long distance athletics and other runners, Fundiswa does not need to be explained because he already has his own team that is watching him when he appears in big races. Even the photographers of these races, this lady is not a runner that you can easily ignore, all eyes turned and you saw a flower in the sun.
This runner has made a name for himself by the way he doesn’t shy away when he’s in this game, even though he’s in the middle of the throat of men who run. She is now committed to a new campaign to attract other women to love running
This year, Fundiswa, who will turn 43 in July, will not only be racing to get closer to achieving his dream of finishing the Comrades for the tenth time, where he will also get the green number as it will be his eighth race. He said he will use the 2026 race to remember Nasiphi Dutywa (41) and her nine-month-old daughter, Ovayo, who were found dead at her boyfriend’s house in Soweto in April.
It turns out that the autopsy results point to suspected poisoning.
“It’s something I always do every year to raise awareness about the abuse of women and children when I run the Comrades. When I heard about Nasiphi’s story, I was very moved, so I dedicated my race this year to them,” said Fundiswa.
This runner, who is coached by veteran Prodigal Khumalo, has previously avoided talking about running the Comrades in swimwear. Wherever he passed, the spectators would turn around and shout with him, blowing whistles.
When she explains about her decision and courage to dress like this knowing full well that she will attract people’s attention, this lady who looks shameless says that this action was on purpose and that is why it did not affect her running.
“Here I was showing that the way we dress as women does not give anyone the right to do anything to our bodies,” he explained, clarifying that some people have thought that a woman who dresses in a certain way is seeking attention from men.
“Right now it’s just a campaign to talk, but in the future I hope that there will be donations that I can collect and donate to people who are being abused.”
He said he chooses to use running to preach the gospel because he believes that sports can change people’s lives.
“I personally have never been abused but there are relatives and friends that I know who have been abused. Also on social media there are many women who say that they have been abused in the past and that is why I decided to raise awareness about it,” explained Fundiswa.
YOU WANT THE FLOWERS TO BLOOM IN 2027
This lady who comes from Mthatha, Eastern Cape, but is based in Durban for work, said that even her 18-year-old son always teaches her how to manage people. “I teach him that you have to respect a woman and not want to be respected only as a man.”
Later, he recently announced a campaign to bring together women who are starting to run and want to work with them until they can participate in the 2027 Comrades. Announcing on her Facebook page, she said: “We invite women who have big dreams, put on their sneakers, and dedicate themselves to this (running) journey. It is not just about winning the routes but to show that women’s skills should be on the line for those who started the race,” he said.
In this program, he says he is looking for 120 people who will help with the exercise program, the plan is to know that he is working while taking care of household needs, but he is also able to exercise in preparation for the races. Here he promises to work with running clubs that support and get women sponsored.
This runner who has joined the Hollywood Athletic Club, said that since there are less than 20 days left before the Comrades, he has made it because the preparations went well under Khumalo who also revealed that he will return to this race next year as it will be celebrating its 100th anniversary.
Fundiswa, who always teases men that she wants to “burn” them by leaving them, said she is looking to have a good time of less than nine hours.
He concludes by advising men to treat women well.
“I’m asking men to stop abusing women because if you watch them, their lives change. People don’t behave the way they used to, but they get angry and angry. They don’t treat us well.”