The Cape Town Marathon may have been stopped by strong winds, but Francois van Coke refused to let it blow away his mission to raise funds for a new jungle gym and play space.
Cape Town, South Africa (22 October 2025) – Since the cancellation of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, South Africans have been sharing some heartwarming stories. Runners who did not let the wind blow away their purpose. One of them is none other than Francois van Coke, South African rock legend and frontman of Fokofpolisiekar, who turned a cancelled race into an act of generosity.
Francois had planned to run the full 42.2 km to raise funds for Breadline Africa, an organisation building early childhood education facilities across the country. His goal is to help fund a brand-new playground and jungle gym for the children at ATKV Abbasorg Educare Centre in Cloetesville, Stellenbosch.
“I wasn’t about to let that stop me. I was running to raise funds for a new playground and jungle gym for the kids at ATKV Abbasorg Educare Centre in Cloetesville … and I’m determined to make it happen anyway.”
When strong winds forced organisers to cancel the marathon, Francois simply decided to run solo.
“I ended up running myself around the suburbs,” he told Jacaranda FM’s Breakfast with Martin Bester. “I had to get rid of all the adrenaline somehow.”
His determination did not go unnoticed. The Jacaranda Good Morning Angels team surprised him live on air with a R10,000 donation toward his fundraising goal.
Through his GivenGain campaign, Francois aims to raise R42,000 (R1 for every metre he runs ) to ensure the children of Abbasorg have a safe, creative space to play, climb, and explore.
For Francois, this run was personal. Marking his first full marathon since recovering from a foot injury. It’s not his first run for a cause. In 2023, he ran the Two Oceans Half Marathon to help build classrooms for KIM Educare in Philippi. A year later, he completed the Two Oceans Ultra to fund a new library for Bonga Primary School in Langa.
His partnership with Breadline Africa began during the COVID-19 lockdown, when he and his band auctioned signed guitars to support the organisation’s feeding programme.
Francois puts it best.
“Last year, we built a library for the children of Bonga Primary School in Langa. Let’s do it again for Abbasorg. Every metre still counts. Let’s go!”
Sources: Supplied
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