Comrades Marathon drone warning
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has said that any unauthorised drone on the route of the upcoming Comrades Marathon will be taken down operationally in accordance with the law.
Considered the world’s oldest ultramarathon, the Comrades Marathon is scheduled for 14 June 2026 and will see runners from across the globe race the 86km route.
“The entire Comrades Marathon route has been declared a no-fly zone and only authorised operational aircraft and drones will be permitted to fly,” SAPS said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Any unauthorised drone will be taken down operationally in accordance with the law,” it said.
MyBroadband contacted the police to clarify what it meant by “taken down operationally” and received feedback from SAPS KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda.
Netshiunda initially told us that the drones would be shot down. He would not reveal whether live ammunition or rubber bullets would be used to take down the drones.
During our follow-up questions, Netshiunda then indicated that SAPS wouldn’t shoot down rogue drones but would rather employ “counterintelligence”. He would not clarify what that meant.
We also asked whether SAPS planned to use its own drones to disable unauthorised remote-controlled aircraft, and Netshiunda confirmed that such a strategy would be too unsafe.
Netshiunda said that this would endanger the runners and then indicated that he could not provide any more information, saying SAPS could not reveal operational details for security reasons.
In its original statement, SAPS said that various departments and entities that form part of KwaZulu-Natal’s operational and intelligence structure have developed a comprehensive operational plan.
“The Comrades Marathon Association, working together with both eThekwini Metro and Umgungundlovu traffic officials, has communicated road closures,” the statement said.
“Road users are urged to cooperate with law enforcement officers during the Comrades Marathon weekend.”
Aside from unauthorised drones, police will also crack down on any displaying of banners depicting “unsavoury and or politically-aligned messages.”
Technology deployed during the Comrades Marathon
Earlier this month, vehicle tracking and telematics provider Netstar announced it would deploy its real-time traffic monitoring technology across the entire marathon route on race day.
It said that this would give marathon organisers and marshals the live intelligence they require to manage resources and deliver a better experience for everyone during the event.
“On race day, Netstar operatives will continuously monitor the full route from 03:00 to 19:30, using Netstar’s traffic-monitoring technology,” it said.
The technology will be able to track the flow of runners at high-traffic areas such as interchanges, spectator access points, and known bottlenecks.
“When congestion builds, operatives will notify the Venue Operations Centre in real time, providing them with location, severity, estimated impact, and recommended actions.”
Netstar also said it would deploy one of its helicopters to provide aerial coverage between 07:00 and 16:30, capturing footage of the route to support teams on the ground.
Race marshals will be equipped with the company’s StarTag tracking technology that sends their location data to the Netstar control room.
Sue Forge, race director of the Comrades Marathon Association, said the marathon was a national moment that belonged to all South Africans who had ever taken part in or watched the event.
“In Netstar, we have found a partner that shares our commitment to making that experience better for every single person on the day,” she said.
“We are proud to welcome them to the Comrades family in 2026.”
Netstar said that its real-time traffic updates and route information will be made available to the public on the official Comrades Marathon social media platforms on the day of the race.
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