What began as a spontaneous early morning decision became a four-day, 235km walk driven by community and raising awareness.
Pretoria, South Africa (27 January 2026) – A 4 am decision turned into a 4-day journey. 4 am on a rainy December morning in Mamelodi, two cousins tightened their shoelaces, lifted their backpacks and stepped into the unknown. There were no banners, no sponsors and no long-term planning; it was just a conviction that something had to be done. This was a 235-kilometre walk, done in four days.
Sthembiso recalls how this was a spur-of-the-moment decision.
“The idea actually came the day before. We were watching TV and saw what was happening with gender-based violence, and people striking in Alexandra. We said to ourselves, if we can’t protest like that, then we must do something for our community.”
By 2 am, they were buying water, freezing bottles and figuring out what they would need. By just before 4 am, with rain beginning to drizzle, they were on the road.
“There was a moment where I asked myself, ‘Why am I doing this?’ especially when the rain really started. But we had already started, and we knew we had to finish.”
The rain followed them for much of the journey. They walked long stretches without food, slept under a bridge when they couldn’t find accommodation, and relied on the kindness of strangers to charge their phones and get a warm meal. At one point, they updated social media, asking simply for food and a place to sleep.
Still, something shifted along the way.
“As people started recognising what we were doing, they stopped, took pictures, prayed with us, and encouraged us. That’s when I realised this walk was touching people’s hearts.”
The causes behind the walk were deeply personal. On the very day they set off, a close uncle was admitted to the hospital. Soon after, the family learned he had throat cancer and would need surgery.
“We did this for him, but also for everyone going through what he’s going through. Whatever we raised, we wanted to help him with transport to and from hospital during his treatment.”
But the walk became about more than one family. Along the way, they learned of a household in their community that had burned down. The cousins decided to use some of the donations to buy groceries for that family so they could have food over Christmas.
“What we were doing was for the community. For women, for children, for everyone.”
When they finally arrived in Dullstroom, the emotion of completing the journey hit hard. For them and those who were following the story.
Looking ahead, Sthembiso says the next walk will be better planned and widely advertised.
“We decided today, and tomorrow we were walking. We just wanted to try and see what would happen.”
For Sthembiso and Vusumuzi, the journey proved that meaningful action does not always begin with long-term planning. It just takes the courage to act.
Sources: GTG Interview
Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google.
Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes and hear their incredible stories:
Or catch an episode of Good Things with Brent Lindeque or our Weekly Top 5 below. The videos here are always changing, updated with the latest episodes from these two shows. Both are part of Good Things TV, created to bring South Africans balance at a time when the news can feel overwhelmingly negative. Our goal is simple: to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in our country – and to leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.
by 