The 2025 Mataffin Home Run was once again a great success as hundreds of runners laced up on Saturday, November 15, to enjoy a sunny yet cool morning of running.

This year marked the fourth hosting of the race, organised by Ngodwana Marathon Club. As in previous years it started and finished at Mbombela Stadium, starting at 06:30, with 4.9km and 10km distances on offer. The route set out from the stadium, over Samora Machel Drive via the pedestrian bridge, onto the Halls Estate, past Mataffin Equestrian Centre and back again.

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More than 150 runners started and finished the 10km distance, with a couple hundred more taking part in the 4.9km distance, meaning that a good few hundred runners got to enjoy a fine Lowveld morning. While the sun was out with barely a cloud in the sky, the morning air was still cool and perfect for some fast running.

It was Bella’s Athletics Club runner, Musawenkosi Buthelezi, who made the most of the conditions by surging to victory in the 10km race in a time of 31:12.8, which is the second fastest time clocked by a winner of the run after the inaugural race in 2022. Samuel Mathabatha, also of Bella’s, was second in a time of 32:36, while Silicone Ngcobo was third (32:53).

Nomvula Sithole won the women’s race once again, continuing her run as the queen of the Mataffin race, finishing as the first woman over the line in a blistering time of 39:43. Thembelihle Sibiya was second (42:02), followed by Mema Tiango (42:28).