Border Athletics (BORA) has confirmed that its report on the challenges faced by the Buffs Marathon will be tabled at council around May 17, aiming to put an end to recurring water supply issues at the prestigious race.
BORA Road Running Commission chair Phapama Malusi said the federation was concerned that water-related problems had been reported in three of the past five years and that urgent intervention was needed.
“Buffs has a responsibility to ensure the wellness of athletes, and we can’t ignore the fact that in 2020 there was a shortage of water, in 2024 there were water quality issues, and now this is the third incident with water,” Malusi said.
“We can no longer ignore that something is not right. Buffs is a big marathon in the region, and an intervention must be made.”
Malusi said a focus of BORA’s intervention would be ensuring water points were adequately manned and supplied ahead of the 2026 event.
“We need to check personnel manning water points next year and the amount of water at least a day or two before the event takes place. We need to determine whether the issue is with the amount of water ordered or if it’s about not having enough personnel from the club available to man the water points,” he said.
He said BORA did not agree with Buffs Marathon organisers’ explanation that hot weather was the primary reason for the shortage.
“BORA’s stance is that this is not the full truth because a third year of water-related issues points to a problem,” Malusi said. “Practicalities include ascertaining physical personnel and ensuring that there is a fair ratio of water sachets per entrant.”
Buffs Marathon and Half-marathon organisers, Live Adventure, previously assured athletes that water supply issues would not affect their chances of qualifying for the Two Oceans and Comrades Marathons in 2026.
Race director Sian O’Keefe said an internal investigation was conducted, with findings submitted to BORA for review.
O’Keefe and Buffalo Road Runners remained proud of the 51st edition of the race, pointing out that despite the water-related concerns, 82% of runners achieved Comrades or Two Oceans qualifying times.
Their investigation found that unexpectedly high temperatures and humidity prompted runners to use more water for cooling down than was initially allocated.
“We had no issues with water quality this year, but water supply was an issue. We plan to increase our water allocation for next year,” O’Keeffe said. “We are also considering adding water sponge stations to minimise the impact on athletes using drinking water for cooling down.”
Athletics SA’s (ASA) Enoch Skhosana has stressed that clubs and organisers must not compromise on water supply, saying that races essential for national event qualification should ensure they are adequately prepared.
ASA also encourages marathon organisers nationwide to learn from this incident, warning that allowing race registration up until the last minute can impact water availability.
Khulani Athletics Club also raised concerns about the water shortages, stating that their own club supporters had to step in to assist runners.
Club representative Asanda Skwebu said: “We had club supporters stationed at different water points, since we had runners in both the 42km and 21km races. When we were notified about water shortages for the 42km runners, we took what water we had and sent it to the stations to help runners further back on the route. The situation became dire at the Abbotsford bridge, so we also sent water there and to Stirling to top up.”
Skwebu described how the club’s supporter in Stirling eventually ran out of water and had to rely on residents in nearby houses for assistance.
“She asked for water from residents, who provided buckets filled with tap water so runners could splash themselves to cool down. However, most runners ended up drinking the tap water.
“This is not the first time this has happened at the Buffs Marathon. As a club, we do not feel comfortable sending our runners out there alone, relying solely on the organisers for water supply. They know the race is a qualifier and always attracts huge numbers, yet they continue to fail in planning properly for water supply.”
Further concerns were raised about personal seconding vehicles and traffic along the N6, but Buffs Marathon organisers have maintained that seconding was permitted under strict rules.
BORA’s report is expected to outline a way forward for ensuring future Buffs Marathon events run smoothly, without water supply disruptions.
