Diagnosed with brain cancer last year, a Cape Town man who has already clocked up more than 10,000km in a walk of faith, passed through Toti on Tuesday morning, 6 May.
Jurie Pieters (47) has already completed a walk from Cape Town to Nelspruit, through the Transkei, before turning inland to Barberton, Richards Bay, Durban and back inland through the Karoo to his home base. That trip took him four months.
Jurie then walked from Cape Town back to Nelspruit, on to Harrismith, Mooiriver, Valley of 1000 Hills, Durban and Margate, before turning inland to Kokstad, Aliwal North, East London, Port Elizabeth, Colesburg and Cape Town.
For his third trip he is walking from Cape Town along the coast. From Toti he will make his way to Durban, Richards Bay, Nelspruit, Pietersburg and Gauteng, before walking the breadth of the country to Springbok and down the West Coast to Cape Town.
“I can then say I have walked the whole of South Africa,” he said.
“After I was diagnosed with brain cancer, I contemplated suicide, but instead decided to do a walk of faith, because I hated walking. Now I have come to love it.”
When I left home last September I had R150 in my pocket, my backpack and tent. My god is my sponsor. I’ve never gone hungry and I rely on people’s goodwill, I never ask for anything.
I have found that people in the small towns like Toti are down-to-earth and they stop me to talk about my journey.”
One of Jurie’s most treasured memories is the walk along the Transkei coast, because of the spectacular views.
On his second day of his epic journey he was mugged for his watch and cellphone, but since has been safe along the road. “I now have a new cellphone and I already have over 500 photos on it. If it’s God’s will, I will write a book about my journey when I reach home, that’s why I make sure I keep mementoes of my trip.”
