Sowel die liefdadigheidsorganisasie as die span ondersteun die pretdraf.

Sowel ... as ... means both ... and ....

So:

• Sowel die liefdadigheidsorganisasie as die span
  = both the charity organisation and the team

It is a paired structure:

• sowel = both
• as = and / as

In natural English, this sentence means Both the charity organisation and the team support the fun run.

Because each noun has its own definite article.

In Afrikaans, die means the.
So:

• die liefdadigheidsorganisasie = the charity organisation
• die span = the team

When you join two definite nouns, you normally keep die with each one, just as English often repeats the:

• the charity organisation and the team

Usually, no. Afrikaans verbs do not change much according to the subject the way English verbs do.

So you get:

• Ek ondersteun = I support
• Jy ondersteun = you support
• Die span ondersteun = the team supports
• Hulle ondersteun = they support

The verb form stays ondersteun.

That is why, even though the subject here includes two things joined together, the verb is still simply ondersteun.

Because Afrikaans main clauses normally use a verb-second pattern.

In this sentence, the whole subject is:

• Sowel die liefdadigheidsorganisasie as die span

Then the finite verb comes:

• ondersteun

Then the object:

• die pretdraf

So the structure is:

• [subject] + [verb] + [object]

That is normal Afrikaans word order for a statement.

Afrikaans, like Dutch and German, often builds long compound words.

liefdadigheidsorganisasie can be understood as:

• liefdadigheid = charity
• organisasie = organisation

Together, they form charity organisation.

The -s- in the middle is a linking s that often appears in compounds in Afrikaans. You do not always translate it; it is just part of the compound form.

So:

• liefdadigheidsorganisasie = charity organisation

Pretdraf is a compound word:

• pret = fun
• draf = jog / run at a steady pace

So pretdraf means fun run.

It usually refers to a non-serious or community running event, often organised for enjoyment or fundraising rather than competition.

Yes, it is correct and fairly common, especially in more formal or careful language.

Another very common way is:

• beide ... en ...

So you could also say:

• Beide die liefdadigheidsorganisasie en die span ondersteun die pretdraf.

That also means Both the charity organisation and the team support the fun run.

Very roughly:

• sowel ... as ... can sound a bit more formal
• beide ... en ... is also very natural and common

Yes, but the meaning changes slightly.

If you say:

• Die liefdadigheidsorganisasie en die span ondersteun die pretdraf.

that simply means:

• The charity organisation and the team support the fun run.

This is perfectly correct.
Adding sowel ... as ... gives extra emphasis to the idea of both.

So:

• without sowel ... as ... = neutral statement
• with sowel ... as ... = clearer emphasis on both

Afrikaans does have a normal word for and, which is en.

But in this sentence, the structure is not just a simple X and Y. It is the correlative pattern both X and Y, and Afrikaans expresses that here with:

• sowel X as Y

So this is not replacing en directly; it is using a different construction.

Compare:

• Die liefdadigheidsorganisasie en die span ondersteun die pretdraf.
  = The charity organisation and the team support the fun run.

• Sowel die liefdadigheidsorganisasie as die span ondersteun die pretdraf.
  = Both the charity organisation and the team support the fun run.

It is singular.

• die span = the team

Even though a team contains many people, the noun itself is grammatically singular, just like in English.

But in this sentence, the total subject is made up of two parts:

• the charity organisation
• the team

So the overall meaning is plural, even though span by itself is singular.

A rough English-style pronunciation guide would be:

• Sowel ≈ suh-VAIL
• die ≈ dee
• liefdadigheidsorganisasie ≈ leef-DAA-de-ghaits-or-ga-ni-ZAA-see
• as ≈ ahs
• die span ≈ dee spahn
• ondersteun ≈ ON-der-stayn
• die pretdraf ≈ dee PRET-drahf

A few useful points:

• w in Afrikaans sounds like English v
• ui in ondersteun is not a normal English vowel sound, so stayn is only a rough guide
• g in many Afrikaans words is a throaty sound, not an English g

So a very rough full reading is:

suh-VAIL dee leef-DAA-de-ghaits-or-ga-ni-ZAA-see ahs dee spahn ON-der-stayn dee PRET-drahf