On Saturday, 30 August, Sol Plaatje University (SPU) hosted its annual Birthday Colour Run to celebrate 12 years of education, community, and inclusivity through shared pride, laughter and wellness. More than 800 participants gathered at the SPU South Campus Sports Precinct, where they were splashed with colour and enjoyed a day of fitness and family fun that united us all.
The 21.1km race began at 06:30, followed by the 5km and 10km events at 06:45, with SPU’s mascot ‘Gemmie’ keeping the crowd entertained before take-off and then joined in the 5km race. Whether running, jogging, or walking, participants experienced a lively route filled with colour, music, and community spirit.
The day featured special guest appearances, including Ashmund Martin from OFM, who kept spirits high, and DJ Sacs, who entertained the crowd with his music. Families enjoyed the lifestyle market, with food, drinks and local products on offer, while children joined in birthday-themed activities that included jumping castles.
During the prize-giving, Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Debra Meyer, thanked participants and supporters for making the event memorable. “We want the community to know this is a university for the community, and if you want to know how you can get involved with us, participating in these kinds of events is how you can be part of our university. Thank you to all the sponsors, every small sponsorship makes a difference, and we are very grateful for it.” The Birthday Colour Run reaffirmed one of SPU’s strategic objectives which is community engagement through establishing and nurturing collaborations and partnership with local communities.
Through their participation in the event, runners not only celebrated SPU’s birthday but also contributed to our Lesedi La Afrika Endowment Fund which aims to change lives and enable brighter futures by offering scholarships, social impact initiatives, and programs aimed at fostering student success for the future of the Northern Cape.
The success of the day was made possible through the support of dedicated vendors and sponsors who helped create a festive atmosphere for all.
Sponsors:
Jamcorp Events Management & Marquee Hiring, Telkom, Label Lab, Ntlo Group, SACS in the City, Oik Construction Projects, Print Depot, CMT Clothing Bee, Howard Technologies, Kgosi Galeshewe Athletics, Kainos Kinetics, Sanlam, Magic Lab Kimberley, Exilite Holdings Pty Ltd Events Management, SwiftPrint, Discovery Insure, Manzi, Die Biltong Fabriek, MZT Jumping Castles, VDL Photography, Virgin Active, Super C, SANBS and GTP Industries
Vendors:
MZT Foods, Z&Z Home Foods, Punchu Trading, Tipsy Doctors, Limelight
Congratulations to all who participated in the 2025 SPU Birthday Colour Run! To access the overall results per distance, use this link: https://bit.ly/45Zfrzn
If you missed out this year, don’t worry, the Birthday Colour Run has become a much-loved annual event in Kimberley. We look forward to welcoming even more participants next year.
