With just over 90 days to go to the 97th Comrades Marathon, the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA), in conjunction with long-standing sponsor, Toyota South Africa Motors, has announced the details around its 2024 Comrades Toyota Win-A-Car competition.
The initiative is aimed at fostering wider support for charitable fundraising for the CMA’s six official charities: namely The Community Chest of Durban & Pietermaritzburg, Childhood Cancer Foundation (CHOC), Childline KwaZulu-Natal, Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust, Rise Against Hunger and Sanparks Honorary Rangers.
One of the main fundraising drivers of the Comrades Amabeadibeadi Charity initiative is the Toyota Win-a-Car Competition, whereby a brand-new Toyota sedan is up for grabs on Comrades Race Day, Sunday – 9 June 2024. However, for this year, the winning motor vehicle will be the stunning Toyota Corolla Cross XI valued at over four hundred thousand rands.
CMA Chairperson, Mqondisi Ngcobo says, “We are ever so grateful to Toyota for so generously backing the CMA’s official charity initiative, thus enabling us to raise more funds for such worthy causes. This is a truly significant contribution to the greater good from South Africa’s largest automotive manufacturer and a proud and loyal sponsor of The Ultimate Human Race”.
Runners, supporters and the greater public can purchase raffle tickets from each of the six official charities, via the Comrades Marathon website and Comrades App; as well as at the Pietermaritzburg and Durban registration points from now until noon on race day, Sunday, 9 June. The cost is R50 per ticket.
Another exciting part of the 2024 Amabeadibeadi Charity Drive is the continuation of the Race4Charity initiative. Via this development, runners have the opportunity to “secure” their spot closer to the front of the Comrades start line and improve their seeding batch, while raising funds for a good cause. Over the years, Comrades runners have raised millions of rands through this fundraising innovation.
Race4Charity gives individuals the opportunity to not just make a difference but to get people involved and race collectively for the benefit of charities. Runners can go to the Comrades website and follow the Race4Charity link. Runners can sign up and choose one of the six Amabeadibeadi charities they would like to support.
The first 500 athletes to raise R6,000 each under their Race4Charity profile will automatically get to start in the C batch near the front of the field on race day.
However, any #Comrades2024 runner is welcome to sign up on the Race4Charity platform and fundraise any amount in order to add to the CMA’s charitable footprint. All Race4Charity runners will also be on the receiving end of an exclusive goodie bag which they can collect during registration from their chosen charity.
Pat Freeman, who heads the CMA’s Charities & CSI Committee added, “The aim of the CMA’s fundraising platforms is to give back to the needy and less fortunate in a way that uplifts society and adds value to the lives of ordinary people. Our six official Amabeadibeadi charities are carefully selected to do just that, and we are grateful for the hard work carried out by them on a daily basis”.
VP of Marketing at Toyota South Africa Motors, Glenn Crompton says: “Our organisation is proud to be associated with both the Comrades Marathon and Amabeadibeadi Charity initiative. With Toyota’s business ethos built on a culture of respect for people, it is only fitting that we partner with a charity drive that is geared towards making a difference in people’s lives”.
