Kariega, South Africa – 10 May 2025
Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) turned the Kariega production plant into a celebration of movement, wellness and community spirit this past weekend as it hosted the third annual VW Health Care Run, drawing an impressive 1,897 participants to the heart of the automotive giant’s Eastern Cape facility.
Held on Saturday, 10 May, the event invited runners of all fitness levels to tackle distances of 5km, 10km and a challenging 21.1km half marathon, with each route uniquely designed to lead participants through a portion of the Kariega plant itself — a rare and exciting opportunity for both employees and members of the public to experience the iconic factory from a new perspective.
This year’s race formed part of the International Health Care Run, a global Volkswagen initiative hosted annually across 20 VW sites worldwide. Since its inception, the Kariega edition has welcomed 4,390 participants from both the VWGA workforce and the wider Nelson Mandela Bay community.
Race Highlights and Top Finishers
5km Results:
- Women: 1st Shaylin O’Grady (0:24:00), 2nd Aluta Vena (0:24:22), 3rd Keisha Harker (0:25:01)
- Men: 1st Andre Ketchem (0:17:27), 2nd Asonge Mtana (0:17:41), 3rd Janco Landman (0:18:01)
10km Results:
- Women: 1st Ntombesintu Mfunzi (0:38:42), 2nd Kelly van Vliet (0:38:59), 3rd Desnay O’Grady (0:40:17)
- Men: 1st Melikhaya Frans (0:30:03), 2nd Sinethemba Jilingisi (0:30:13), 3rd Masixole Xayiya (0:31:17)
21.1km Results:
- Women: 1st Refeloe Solomons (1:24:15), 2nd Bianca Meistre (1:26:05), 3rd Kayla van Rensburg (1:28:20)
- Men: 1st Andile Motwana (1:06:07), 2nd Sibahle Maqwara (1:08:15), 3rd Sinawo Poti (1:09:14)
Health, Community and a Glimpse Inside the Plant
More than just a race, the VW Health Care Run reflects VWGA’s ongoing commitment to promoting employee wellbeing and community engagement. This year’s edition carried particular significance, as it marked a moment of vibrancy and reconnection at the plant, following a production pause to accommodate upgrades for VWGA’s highly anticipated third vehicle model.
“Given that production has been on hold recently to allow for upgrades in the plant for the third model, seeing so many people in Plant Kariega was a refreshing and welcome sight,” said Ulrich Schwabe, Production Director at VWGA. “It is a point of pride to be able to share a closer look at our plant with the community, and to see them participate and support this initiative.”
Beyond encouraging a healthy lifestyle, the event also served a charitable purpose. All proceeds from the run will be donated to Eastern Province Athletics (EPA), further reinforcing the race’s contribution to the development of local sport and wellness initiatives.
“It was amazing to see the support from our employees and from the community,” said Russell Coleman, Human Resources Director at VWGA. “We are proud to host this annual event and contribute in a small way to the health and wellbeing of all participants. Thank you to all who participated, and of course to the colleagues from VWGA’s Wellbeing Hub, PeoplePavilion and the VW Amateur Athletics Club, who worked tirelessly to make this event a success.”
As the VW Health Care Run continues to grow in size and spirit, it has cemented its place not only as a staple on the local athletics calendar, but as a powerful symbol of unity, vitality and community pride — with Volkswagen at the heart of the movement.
