Due to severe adverse weather conditions forecast for Cape Town and the Western Cape this weekend, the organisers of the 2026 Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K, after consulting with the City of Cape Town authorities, local authorities, and the appointed safety officials, have made the difficult decision to cancel the event scheduled to take place on Sunday, 10 May.

According to the latest weather reports, a cold front is expected to make landfall over the Western Cape on Sunday morning, followed by a second cold front on Monday. The forecast includes disruptive rainfall, strong interior and gale force coastal winds, as well as cold to very cold, wet and windy conditions across the region.

Expected impacts include flooding of roads and settlements (formal and informal), as well as dangerous and difficult driving conditions.

“Our Operations Team has been closely monitoring the weather predictions and engaging daily with the City of Cape Town authorities, local authorities, and the appointed safety officials, in the lead-up to race weekend,” says Dezroy Poole, Race Director Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series. “This decision was not taken lightly, especially considering the anticipation surrounding the event and the commitment shown by our runners, sponsors and partners. However, under the expected conditions, we could not guarantee a safe and enjoyable race experience for all involved. We extend our sincere appreciation to every stakeholder for their understanding and ongoing support of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series.”

“With the severe weather warnings issued for Cape Town this weekend posing a serious safety risk to participants, as well as impacting public infrastructure, mobility, essential services, and most importantly the safety of all stakeholders, responsible decision-making becomes critical. While we understand the anticipation from thousands of participants and the broader running community, for the City of Cape Town, safety at events hosted in our city is always a priority, and responsible decision-making becomes critical,” says Leonora DeSouza-Zilwa, Director Events & Film, City of Cape Town.

Aligning with Absa’s brand ethos of Your Story Matters, every runner entered this race with a personal goal, a purpose and months of preparation behind them. As a gesture of goodwill, and in recognition of the difficult economic climate many South Africans are facing, Absa has taken the decision to offer participants a choice between a full refund or free entry to the 2027 Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K. In addition, participants will still be able to visit Grand Parade to collect their official race packs and event merchandise.

Sydney Mbhele, Group Chief Marketing and Corporate Affairs Officer at Absa said the safety of participants and the broader community remained the primary consideration throughout the decision-making process. “While we share in the disappointment of thousands of runners who were looking forward to this event, safety had to come first. The decision to cancel was not an easy one, but we are delighted to offer our participants a choice between a full refund or free entry to the 2027 Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K race,” said Mbhele.

Please Note:

• Over the course of this weekend, all registered runners will receive communication via WhatsApp and email newsletter outlining the refund process and next steps. Follow our social media platforms @CapeTown10k for further information and for real time updates.
• Participants are encouraged to follow the instructions provided in these communications to proceed with their selected option.
• The 2026 Race Pack Collection at the Grand Parade will continue as scheduled. Runners are encouraged to collect their race packs throughout today (09h00 – 19h00) and Saturday (09h00 – 17h00).

Facebook: @Gqeberha10k / @CapeTown10k / @Durban10k / @Tshwane10k / @Joburg10k

Instagram: @Gqeberha10k / @CapeTown10k / @Durban10k / @Tshwane10k / @Joburg10k

Hashtag:  #RunYourCity #AbsaRunYourCity

WhatsApp Line: 072 042 7613

Websites:  www.runyourcityseries.com

About Absa

Absa Group is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and is one of Africa’s largest diversified financial services groups. 

Absa Group offers an integrated set of products and services across personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking, wealth and investment management and insurance. Absa operates in fourteen countries. The Group owns majority stakes in banks in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania (Absa Bank Tanzania and National Bank of Commerce), Uganda and Zambia and has insurance operations in Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zambia. Absa also has representative offices in Namibia and Nigeria, and securities entities in the United Kingdom and the United States. For further information about Absa Group Limited, please visit  www.absa.africa

About the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series

A proudly South African mass participation road running series, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series has been revolutionizing the sport since 2015.  A road running celebration like no other, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series comprises five unique events namely the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K (launched in 2023), Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K (launched in 2015), the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K (launched in 2017), Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K (launched in 2023) and the Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K (launched in 2016). A diverse road running series, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series integrates businesses, families, investment in community, world class achievement and fun for all participants. For further information please visit https://runyourcityseries.com/