Chitja elected to chair CMA

Johannesburg - Macdonald Chitja was elected chairperson of the new Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) Board, the association said in a statement on Saturday.

"I am very mindful that, together with the Board, we hold the responsibility of retaining the ethos and traditions, synonymous with this iconic event; and are tasked with upholding the high standards that the Comrades Marathon has come to be famous for," Chitja said.

Chitja, who is an attorney in Pietermaritzburg, shares a long association with the CMA, having been elected onto the Comrades Marathon Executive Committee (Exco) in 2001.

He has served continuously in various capacities since then, including chairing the transformation committee since its inception in 2002.

He has also completed 15 Comrades Marathons.

Peter Proctor was elected as the vice-chairperson at Tuesday's board meeting while Neville Thomas was co-opted for his skills in financial administration.