With a bumper 75th edition of the Dusi Canoe Marathon expected in 2026, uMngeni-uThukela Water (UUW) has committed to the event as one of the headline sponsors ahead of the event from 19-21 February.
The Dusi Canoe Marathon is the country’s premier canoeing race and is a proudly KwaZulu-Natal based event which plays an important role in garnering the support from the province’s only water board for the next three years.
uMngeni-uThukela Water recognises the strategic importance of protecting and preserving the river systems that sustain livelihoods, drive economic activity, and support recreational sport. Our headline sponsorship of the Dusi reaffirms our commitment to water stewardship, environmental sustainability, community development, and active citizenship.
By partnering with this event, UUW seeks not only to support a world-class sporting spectacle, but also to raise public awareness about the value of water and the responsibility we all share in safeguarding it for future generations.
This partnership aligns directly with our responsibility to ensure sustainable water resource management while fostering social cohesion and youth development. It is through collaborations such as these that we can inspire a deeper appreciation of our rivers and encourage collective action to protect them.
Speaking after the announcement of this important partnership, head of the Dusi Canoe Marathon organising committee Doug Gow is looking forward to the prospect of working together.
“We are incredibly excited to have such significant support from uMngeni-uThukela Water,” Gow said. “To be able to have UUW at the forefront of our race and have their support is a huge advantage for us as a race, but also for us as a paddling community.
“Water quality has been a huge talking point, and we are looking forward to working with UUW in creating an environment that is sustainable for everyone.
“Canoeing plays an important role in bringing to light areas that need improvement and this partnership helps both communities to make things better for future generations.”
The role the UUW plays in getting clean water to households around the province is a critical one and to be involved in an event like the Dusi helps them spread their message.
“The Dusi is a sporting spectacle that is held on the same rivers that are the source of raw water, which we purify and supply to municipalities,” Umngeni-uThukela Water Spokesperson, Siyabonga Maphumulo said.
“Therefore, our sponsorship of the event is about uniting communities through sport, promoting water stewardship and inspiring confidence in the state of our rivers”.
(Source: Dusi Canoe Marathon)
