Harry Gwala was a South African ANC political activist and teacher imprisoned on Robben Island (1920 to 1995). The event is named after him and takes place annually at the Kilmun racecourse. The horse racing grounds are green and beautiful and have been approved as a racetrack by the Kwa Zulu-Natal Gaming and Betting Board under the licence of Ithotho (Pty) Ltd. This venue is approximately a 90-minute drive from the Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma Municipal offices. The roads to the track are gravel and cut right up a mountain. At its highest peak, the racecourse is located next to a small primary school that caters to the local community’s children.
The social settings are deeply rural, and this may be the only area in the province that is not commercialised. Ithotho/SportPesa are a proud sponsor and stakeholder of the event. They have provided cash contributions and horse blankets for the Harry Gwala Summer Cup. This year’s event featured ten official horse races, and two of these races were for female jockey participation only. Thousands of locals made their way to the venue to watch and enjoy the festivities and racing of the day. The event assists with the transformation of the sector and was enjoyed by all present.