TZANEEN – A heartfelt homecoming ceremony was held at the Tzaneen Youth Centre to celebrate Madala Tshimbana and Miyelani Ramajela from Mokgoloboto, outside Greater Tzaneen, following their remarkable walk to Cape Town.

The duo set out on April 29 with a mission: to raise awareness about poor service delivery in their community. After more than a month on the road, they arrived in Cape Town on June 4, where they officially handed over a memorandum to the Office of the Speaker in Parliament.

The memorandum detailed critical issues faced by their village, including lack of access to clean water, poor roads and infrastructure, unreliable electricity, and the urgent need to reopen Tivumbeni College as a school focused on agriculture and water management.

Read more: Tzaneen men walk 1 800km to Parliament

During the homecoming event, Madala and Miyelani shared stories of the hardships they endured on their journey. Ramajela recounted how they often had to sleep at tollgates, garages, and police stations, struggling to find support or donations from communities along the way.

“When I joined Madala, I began asking for donations, and slowly people started to contribute. Eventually, he was able to buy proper walking shoes,” Ramajela explained. Support also came from companies such as Moya Aircon Solutions, Zwing Zwing, Bushvalley Chickens, and Peppadew.

Sipho Sambo of Zwing Zwing said that their actions, aimed at benefiting the community, were so selfless that he felt led to help them financially.

“It is inspiring and motivating for everyone to see the duo overcome all odds on this extraordinary journey, especially when it is not for personal gain, demonstrating that nothing is too difficult to accomplish,” he said.

Edgar Madidi of Moya Aircon Solutions praised the duo’s efforts.

“Their selfless spirit caught my attention. Issues like load shedding and water shortages deeply affect our elders, workers, and children. Despite numerous attempts to engage with local government, solutions remain elusive. When Madala and Miyelani took this brave initiative, I knew I had to support them, spiritually, financially, and with accommodation. This event recognises their efforts and marks the beginning of a new journey. We also appreciate Parliament’s acknowledgement of our memorandum,” he added.

Looking ahead, Ramajela promised the community they would host a meeting to share more details about their journey and the responses they received from officials.

Community leader Nicholas Shingange described the event as a celebration of selflessness, community activism, and sacrifice.

“Many actions today are driven by self-interest, opportunism, or a desire for fame and success. This was different, a genuine struggle marked by courage, determination, dedication, and resilience,” he said.