King's Baton Relay in South Africa
The King’s Baton Relay brought together culture, community and sustainability as the Baton travelled across South Africa from 13 to 18 September 2025, celebrating the country’s creativity and commitment to unity in diversity. The Relay began on 13 September at Olympic House in Johannesburg, headquarters of the South African Sports Confederation, Olympic and Paralympic Committee. The launch showcased the Baton designs and unveiled South Africa’s Baton, created by a collective of five local designers: Alby Mavimbela, Sanele Mkhize, Nare Mohlake, Siphiwe Ngwenya and Naledi Shange.
Their concept drew on national colours, a Protea-inspired silhouette and the spirit of Ubuntu, which translates as “I am because we are.” The design incorporated a motif of clasped hands to represent the philosophy of Ubuntu, speaking to the belief that our humanity is bound together through compassion, empathy, shared purpose and community. The Baton carried the message “Through unity in diversity, we rise,” a celebration of the nation’s resilience and togetherness.
From Johannesburg, the Baton travelled north to Polokwane in Limpopo, where Capricorn High School hosted a multi-sport day on 16 September with local federations. A short relay began outside the school before a handover to the Principal and student representatives to open the day’s Games. The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport ran integrity and clean sport activities as part of the programme, reinforcing the values that guide young athletes on and off the field.
The next stage of the journey took the Baton to KwaZulu-Natal on 17 September for a river clean-up and canoe relay in the Mkhambathini Local Municipality, focusing on the Nkanyezini and Imboyi areas along the Dusi Canoe Marathon route between Pietermaritzburg and eThekwini. Volunteers, paddlers and schoolchildren worked together as canoes ferried the Baton between clean-up teams. A symbolic handover to the MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture closed the activity, linking sport with a shared duty to protect the environment. The clean-up formed part of the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign, delivered with the Royal Commonwealth Society, which aims to prevent one million pieces of plastic from entering Commonwealth waterways by the time of the Glasgow 2026 Games.
Each stop reflected a different side of South Africa’s story. In Johannesburg, the Baton stood as a symbol of design, creativity and national pride. In Polokwane, it inspired the next generation through sport and education. On the rivers of KwaZulu-Natal, it carried a call for collective action to protect the natural world. Across each province, the message was the same: progress is strongest when people move together.
As the Relay drew to a close, participants reflected on a week that united people through creativity, sport and environmental action. From the energy of school sport in Polokwane to the waters of KwaZulu-Natal, the journey captured both the vibrancy and the compassion that define the nation. The South African chapter of the King’s Baton Relay carried forward a message of hope and connection, a reminder that through unity in diversity, and through the spirit of Ubuntu, the power of sport continues to inspire.
