Zolani Zondani walks 1,071km so men no longer have to suffer in silence

When Zolani Zondani set off on his 1,071km walk from Gqeberha to Johannesburg, some people mocked him and called him names.

Fifteen days later, with his sneakers wearing thin and strangers helping him along the way, he is less than 200km from his destination.

The journey has tested his physical and emotional endurance, but Zondani is determined to finish what he started: raising awareness about men’s mental health and substance abuse and encouraging men to seek help before they reach breaking point.

In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) ranked South Africa among the 10 countries with the highest suicide rates globally, at 23.5 deaths per 100,000 people.

The country recorded an estimated 13,774 suicide deaths that year, the third-highest figure in Africa. Men accounted for the vast majority, with 10,861 deaths compared with 2,913 among women.

Speaking to the Sunday Times during a break after leaving Kroonstad in the early hours of the morning, Zondani said the walk was deeply personal, shaped by childhood experiences, bereavement and the loss of his brother to substance abuse.

We live in a society where men are often expected to be strong, provide, endure pain in silence and carry their struggles without asking for help. Unfortunately, many suffer silently because they fear being judged, misunderstood or perceived as weak.

—  Zolani Zondani

“Growing up without a father figure, losing my mother and losing my brother to substance abuse taught me that some of the battles men face are not always visible,” he said.

“We live in a society where men are often expected to be strong, provide, endure pain in silence and carry their struggles without asking for help. Unfortunately, many suffer silently because they fear being judged, misunderstood or perceived as weak.”

This is not his first long-distance walk for the cause. In October 2025, he walked about 700km from Gqeberha to Cape Town to raise awareness about men’s mental health and substance abuse.

That journey showed him that his mission was bigger than himself.

“Along the way, I encountered ordinary South Africans who offered me food, accommodation, encouragement and stories of their own struggles. Those encounters reminded me that humanity still exists in the people we often overlook, and that sometimes a simple act of kindness can give someone the strength to keep going,” he said.

His latest walk is a continuation of that mission through Broski Brotherhood NPC, a non-profit organisation he founded to create safe spaces where men can speak openly about their struggles and seek help without shame.

“I want us to move beyond talking about men’s mental health only when another life has been lost. We need to act before someone reaches the point where they feel ending their life is their only escape,” he said.

The journey is also a personal challenge, pushing him beyond the limits he had placed on himself and turning his convictions into action.

It has not been without hardship. Zondani has endured blistering heat, thirst, dry winds and the constant danger of sharing busy roads with cars and trucks. He has also had to contend with doubt and a lack of support from some of the people he expected to stand behind him.

“There have been moments when I had to confront not only the road ahead of me but also the battles within me. I have questioned how much further I could go and whether the sacrifices I was making would eventually make a difference,” he said.

“Yet whenever I found myself close to giving up, I had to remind myself of where I come from, the life I have lived and the experiences that shaped me into the man I am today.”

His feet began blistering early in the journey, which he attributed to the heat, a new pair of sneakers and the pace at which he was walking. He has since adjusted his pace and the way he positions his toes to prevent further blisters.

He has worn the same pair of sneakers throughout the journey, and they are now nearing the end of their life.

“I was hoping that the right people with influence could help me, even Adidas, since the sneakers are from there. Now they are on their final stretch because they are wearing out,” he said.

One of his toughest challenges was the 98km stretch from Cradock to Middelburg, the longest distance he had covered in a single day.

The experience has exceeded my expectations. People have shown me Ubuntu, and men have also shown up throughout the journey by admitting that they need help and a safe space because they are really suffering.

—  Zolani Zondani

Walking under the scorching sun and through dry winds, he relied on the support of two men who accompanied him and the generosity of motorists along the N2, who gave him water, drinks and energy bars.

Messages of encouragement and prayers also helped him push through.

Despite having undertaken a similar journey before, Zondani said the response to this walk had exceeded his expectations. Beyond the practical assistance, he has been encouraged by men who have opened up about their struggles and acknowledged their need for support.

“The experience has exceeded my expectations. People have shown me Ubuntu, and men have also shown up throughout the journey by admitting that they need help and a safe space because they are really suffering,” he said.

For Zondani, those conversations are as important as the kilometres he has covered. He hopes the walk will encourage men to recognise that asking for help is not a sign of weakness and that emotional struggles should not have to be faced alone.

“Every kilometre represents a call for understanding, brotherhood and a society where men feel seen, heard, supported and valued,” he said.

“Ultimately, my destination is Johannesburg, but my mission goes far beyond reaching a city. I am walking towards a future where men are free from the burden of suffering in silence, where asking for help is recognised as courage, and where brotherhood becomes more than a word, it becomes a support system that restores hope and saves lives.”