SPRINGFONTEIN – Step by determined step, 28-year-old Zolani Ndalo Zondani is walking the length of South Africa with a single mission: to shatter the silence surrounding men’s mental health. Armed with nothing more than a hand-carved walking stick and unwavering resolve, this mental health advocate is turning highways into platforms for conversation – one gruelling kilometre at a time.

Zondani’s extraordinary journey began last year when he walked approximately 800 km from Gqeberha to Cape Town, proving that a modern-day pilgrimage could spark national dialogue about men’s mental wellness. The success of that trek inspired him to continue his mission in 2026, taking his message further north.

Up bright and early on Friday 23 October, Zondani resumed his demanding walk from Springfontein on the N1 route, heading to Trompsburg before reaching his rest stop in Edenburg, just south of Bloemfontein. Members of the South African Police Service in Springfontein sent off the energetic advocate as he continues his northward journey through South Africa, with Johannesburg as his final destination.

The approximately 67 km trek from Springfontein to Edenburg will take Zondani about 16 hours of continuous walking.

Community engagement and awareness

The young advocate arrived in Springfontein on Wednesday and received a warm reception from residents, including officials from the Department of Social Development and the Department of Health, as well as members of the South African Police Service.

During his stay in Springfontein, he raised awareness about mental health and substance abuse at a local school and clinic, encouraging young people to avoid drugs, seek help for substance abuse and speak out about depression.

Zondani’s journey has already taken him through parts of the Northern Cape, including the historic railway junction of Noupoort – once a strategic point for the now-defunct South African Railways where major train lines carrying passengers and goods from the Eastern Cape ports of Gqeberha and East London converged before heading north to Johannesburg.

From Noupoort, he travelled to Colesberg and crossed the Gariep Dam before taking a break in Springfontein.

Originally from Gqeberha, Zondani remains focused on ensuring that conversations surrounding men’s mental wellness and substance abuse are placed at the centre of communities across South Africa.

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