After raising R200,000 for the Cart Horse Protection Association since 2024, the accomplished runner is stepping away from his CHPA running chapter to continue his journey independently.
Cape Town, South Africa (18 August 2026) – After two years of running with a purpose, Siyabonga Mfanta is hanging up his CHPA running shoes and taking his next steps as an independent runner.
The decision marks the end of a remarkable chapter that began in 2024, when Siya was still a novice runner with a big dream. Since then, he has taken on some of the country’s toughest road races, including two Comrades Marathons, while using every kilometre to raise funds and awareness for the Cart Horse Protection Association (CHPA).
His running journey has raised an impressive R200,000 for CHPA since 2024, helping support the organisation’s work caring for working cart horses.
Along the way, Siya also built a reputation for pushing himself well beyond the targets he initially set.
At the Timbercity Red Hill Marathon, he needed to run a qualifying time for the Two Oceans Marathon and set himself a target of 3:30. Instead, he crossed the finish line in 2:57:01, smashing his goal by more than half an hour.
His momentum continued at the 2026 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, where he produced another impressive performance and finished in under three hours.
But while his CHPA chapter is coming to an end, Siya’s running journey certainly isn’t.
He will now continue his career as an independent runner, taking everything he has learnt over the past two years into this next phase.
Behind the kilometres, race entries and finish-line celebrations was a community of people who believed in what Siya was doing. Sponsors contributed more than R56,000 since 2024, helping him take on challenges that once seemed out of reach while supporting his fundraising efforts.
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“Siya, thank you. Thank you for putting yourself out there, taking on challenges that once seemed impossible, and carrying the CHPA name and the horses in your heart every step of the way.”
CHPA running shoes may be coming off, but there is no doubt the next chapter will have plenty more kilometres in it.
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