Meet Matimu Mametja (32), known as ‘Timu the Tsonga babe’ from Mahube Ext 1 in Mamelodi East, who recently completed the Comrades Marathon, despite having several spinal problems.

Mametja, originally from Limpopo, and now based in Mamelodi, managed to finish her first Comrades Marathon, with a finishing time of 11 hours, 10 minutes and 52 seconds.

She said it all started when she found out that she had an old chronic fracture in her lower spine, early-onset spinal osteoarthritis, and curvature of the spine in August 2022.

“My world went quiet because I did not know how it happened,” said Mametja.

She recalled waking up with continuous back and joint pain that never went away until she went to the hospital in Mamelodi.

It was there she was told of her spinal fracture.

Mametja said the pain was unbearable, but she later found out that when she tried jogging around the community, the pain would go away.

“Running became my answer. My way of saying: If my spine is broken, my spirit isn’t,” said Mametja.

She later joined Mamelodi Striders Athletic Club in 2024, and her first race was the 21km Wally Hayward Half Marathon, which she finished in two hours and 39 minutes.

Talking about her first experience of running, she said that for every step she took, she asked herself, “Are you sure? My back answered, ‘Yes’.”

Later that year, in September 2024, she ran her first full marathon, the Mpumalanga Marathon in five hours and 33 minutes.

“I wanted to see how far I could go when I refused to let my body’s limits be the end of my story,” said Timu.

She said it turned out that she could go further than she believed, and in 2025, she ran the 73km Kosmos ultramarathon in Secunda.

“That race made me realise I am stronger than I think. That was when I decided to enter the Comrades Marathon.”

She started preparing for the race. Before the race, she went to see a physiotherapist who gave her the go-ahead because there was no solution for her back pain at that time.

Tumi said she started training hard during the week and running long distances over the weekend.

“I was happy to participate in the 2026 Comrades Marathon in the colours of Hollywood Athletics Club and finished the run of 86km in 11:10 and on time.”

“Consistency, endurance and dedication worked for me because at 70km my back was screaming, but I told myself: ‘Never give up’,” she added.

“I am so proud of myself. When I run, I feel better every day, and the pain will always be there, but it will never define me.

“I run for those who can’t run. For the girl who got the X-ray and thought her life was over. For everybody that’s been called ‘broken’, I run to prove them wrong.”

WATCH:

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