Cyclists and athletes owed millions

Cut your losses

February 17, 2026

Tobie van den Bergh 2 minutes read

Runner in a green uniform, bib number 825, jubilantly crosses a bright green finish line. Banners and cheering crowd in the background. — Tadu Nare from Ethiopia. PHOTO: Lowvelder.

Cyclists and athletes who are owed millions of rands in entry and prize money have zero chance of getting their money back.
On September 19, 2024, the Lowvelder reported: “Dawn has officially broken on the Mpumalanga Marathon, with hundreds of runners taking on tough routes in the Province of the Rising Sun.”
On March 7, 2025, investigative journalist Buks Viljoen wrote, “The organisers of the ‘richest’ marathon in South Africa are facing a class action from at least 15 runners who never received their prize money.”

Company liquidated

However, this was not the only sporting shock last year.
Cyclists who had paid thousands of rands in entry fees for various races in South Africa woke up one morning to the news that race organiser Wynand de Villiers’ company had been liquidated.
A press release was issued stating, “Following the recent successful liquidation action brought against De Villiers National Cycling, all organisational processes relating to the Tour du Cap and Boland 100 Miler have been formally stopped. As a direct consequence of the liquidation order, no further planning, co-ordination, or execution of these events will take place under the auspices of De Villiers National Cycling.”

No feedback

However, it was not just the two races that were left in the lurch, but also the popular Groot Trap, which was held annually in Pretoria.
Cyclists who had already paid an entry fee of R1 900 just for the Tour du Cap and for their accommodation in Wellington, still had a glimmer of hope after an email was circulated that could be used to lodge claims.
Cyclists who had lost their money sent in all the necessary documentation, but almost a year later, they have received no feedback.
It is clear that the entry fee has disappeared down the De Villiers well.

A man in a black puffer jacket smiles while standing outdoors. Sunglasses hang from his jacket. Trees and a red flag are in the background, conveying a casual, cheerful atmosphere. — Wynand de Villiers.

Six months of waiting

About the Mpumalanga marathon, Viljoen reported: “Two world-class marathon runners will probably never see the R1m prize money that was promised to the winners of the controversial Mpumalanga Marathon last year. After six months of waiting, Jobo Khatoane of the Maxed Elite Club in Lesotho and Tadu Nare from Ethiopia, the men’s and women’s race winners, are still out of pocket.

The marathon, promoted by organiser Caleb Lekhuleni as the ‘richest’ race on the South African marathon calendar, will not see the light of day again. Not only will Lekhuleni and the Mpumalanga Marathon organisers now face a class action from at least 15 runners who never received their prize money, but Athletics South Africa (ASA) has also reported to World Athletics (WO) about the fiasco. Lekhuleni, a former employee of the National Lottery, still owes more than R5m to suppliers and runners.”
Asked this week whether he thought the athletes and service providers would get their money, Viljoen replied, “No, not at all.”
Unbelievably, Lekhuleni said, when contacted, athletes will get their money, and he plans another marathon.

Dossier disappeared

Mpumalanga Athletics president Paul Bester said criminal charges have been investigated, “But the wheels of justice are turning slowly, and in the meantime, the dossier has also disappeared.”
The marathon scandal spread widely, with the club that hosted the race, Born to Win, being suspended for a year.
Not everybody can now host races with thousands of rands in prize money.
Athletics South Africa was embarrassed by the scandal, and if there is more than R500 000 in prize money, measures have been put in place to prevent another Mpumalanga scandal, such as a special application.