A 42.2 km marathon in honor of Mandela will be held in Pietermaritzburg in August.(SABC)

Entries for the Mandela Day Marathon to be held on the 26th of August from Pietermaritzburg to Howick, in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands, are now open. A 42.2 km marathon reflects, in a symbolic way, the gruelling marathon that Nelson Mandela had to run to lay the foundation for today’s democratic and free South Africa.

Mandela was captured in 1962 near Howick and was jailed the following year and sent to Robben Island, where he began a “marathon” 27 years behind bars. Today the world icon celebrates his 94th birthday.

Meanwhile, a South African-based charity, Breadlines Africa, will spend today day equipping less fortunate schools around the country with mobile libraries. The organisation has identified education as a cause close to Madiba’s heart, and adds that, by giving schools a library, they can preserve his legacy.

For more details go to http://www.sabc.co.za