Jewish bodies have responded with outrage after Israeli runners were harassed during South Africa’s 89km. Comrades Marathon on Sunday after the ANCYL publicly named them and shared their race numbers.
Videos from the race – which is the world’s oldest ultramarathon – show Israeli runners being followed by anti-Israel protesters shouting “Free Palestine,” “You are not welcome,” and “Go home.” Other videos show the Israeli runners being chased for extended periods of time by people jeering and waving Palestinian flags.
Two days prior to the race, the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) released a statement calling for the exclusion of the runners, with ANCYL KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson Sanele Hlongwa claiming the allowance of Israeli participation was a “profound betrayal.”
“This decision stands in stark contradiction to South Africa’s principled stance on international justice and solidarity, especially about the ongoing oppression of the Palestinian people under occupation and apartheid,” the statement read.
It proceeded to publicly name the six Israeli athletes who were signed up for the race, as well as their race numbers.
The South African Jewish Board of Deputies condemned the ANCYL’s call for Israeli athletes to be excluded from the race, going so far as to identify them by name and race number to “facilitate targeted harassment.”
“This is a form of doxxing, which is reprehensible,” SAJBD added.
“The Comrades Marathon, named to honor the camaraderie and unity among diverse participants, embodies an ethos of perseverance, community, ubuntu [humanity], and collective spirit,” said the SAJBD.
“With this in mind, it becomes clear that the deliberate tracking, harassment, and intimidation of Israeli athletes is the antithesis to the very spirit of the Comrades.”
SAJBD also noted that the 2025 Comrades Marathon attracted runners from over 80 countries, and therefore it was “disturbing” that only Israeli athletes were “singled out for harassment,” despite the presence of runners from countries with ongoing serious human rights concerns, such as Russia.
“The harassment of these athletes exemplifies the anti-Israeli movement’s unwanted and unconstitutional exploitation of public spaces to antagonize and intimidate those who challenge its narrow political bent,” it continued, adding that “these theatrical displays make no contribution toward improving or saving a single life in Gaza.”
The European Jewish Association expressed anger at the incident, saying, “When the names of Jews or Israelis are deliberately published like this, it’s not activism, and it’s certainly not politics; it’s hatred, and it’s a call for violence.”
Details of the protest
The race began in Pietermaritzburg and finished in Durban. However, according to KwaZulu-Natal News, “the drama started as the runners passed Hillcrest.”
Members of the Marxist-Leninist and pan-Africanist political party Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) group, as well as other activists, were waiting for the runners.
EFF spokesperson in KwaZulu-Natal, Chris Msibi, said, “We saw four Israeli mercenaries in the race. We thank the police for keeping everyone safe and helping us with the protest.”
KZN EFF chairperson Mongezi Twala said that the participation of the four “is a direct contradiction to our foreign policy posture as a country and to the broader stance of liberation movements globally who reject Zionism and settler colonialism.”
He added that the Comrades Marathon must not be tainted by the bloodied hands of Israelis.
“We cannot in good conscience allow individuals who represent a genocidal apartheid state to participate freely in events on our soil, especially during a time when the Israeli regime is actively committing crimes against humanity in Gaza,” he said.
South Africa has taken a decidedly hostile stance toward Israel since the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023. The country famously took Israel to the International Court of Justice, accusing it of genocide in its military response in Gaza.