Zolani Zondani, founder of the Broski Brotherhood NPC, has been walking for days, covering approximately 930km from Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape to Johannesburg. His journey, which started on October 12, aims to raise awareness about men's mental health and encourage men to speak openly about their struggles. With a walking stick in hand and bandages wrapped around his blistered toes, Zondani is pushing through pain and exhaustion to deliver his message.
For Zondani, the journey is personal. Growing up without a father, he knows what it means to search for a role model and struggle to find one. Now, he wants to become the man he needed as a child. His campaign seeks to help men deal with childhood trauma and become role models for the next generation. Zondani believes men's mental health shouldn't be raised only when necessary, but rather be visible and loud, just like the problems men face.
The walk follows another journey Zondani undertook from the Eastern Cape to Cape Town in 2025. He spent the year preparing physically and mentally for his latest challenge. However, he admits to underestimating the financial costs and had to turn to social media for assistance. Despite some people mocking the initiative, Zondani received encouragement and practical help from strangers in smaller towns, who offered him water, opened their homes, or helped him find places to sleep.
Along the way, Zondani has been joined by men who have shared their experiences, including Anele Kuso, who lost his seven-year-old son in 2022 and his father last year. Kuso believes unresolved pain can have consequences beyond the individual, particularly when emotions are suppressed and later triggered by difficult situations. He joined Zondani on day 3 but returned home after two days, citing the physical demands of the walk.
Another participant, Thembelani Gwanya, said spending time with other men and talking about their experiences had helped him manage stress. Gwanya acknowledged the physical challenges, including the heat, strong winds, and blisters. The group also ran out of ice on one occasion. Despite these challenges, Zondani remains committed to his campaign, which aims to challenge the expectation that men must always appear strong, regardless of what they are going through.
The group is expected to reach the Nelson Mandela Bridge in Johannesburg before 5 pm on Friday, where Zondani hopes to engage with men in the area and continue the conversation. Reaching Johannesburg will mark an important milestone, but Zondani's bigger goal is to ensure that the conversations sparked along the way continue long after the walk is over. He hopes his campaign will encourage men to support one another and become positive role models for the next generation.
Zondani's journey is set to cover a total distance of approximately 1,200km, with the final stretch expected to be completed soon. As he nears the end of his walk, Zondani remains focused on his mission to raise awareness about men's mental health and encourage men to seek help rather than suffer in silence. His efforts have garnered attention on social media, with many people expressing support for his campaign.
Key points
- Zolani Zondani is walking 1,200km from Gqeberha to Johannesburg to raise awareness about men's mental health.
- His campaign aims to encourage men to confront childhood trauma and become role models for the next generation.
- Zondani's journey has been marked by physical challenges, but also by the support of strangers and fellow participants who have joined him along the way.
