Buti Tsotetsi (42) began his 573.5km journey on February 6 and walked for 12 days to highlight the plight of rural and township schools. Tsotetsi was born in Platrand and spent most of his life as a part of rural communities.

Tsotetsi launched the NPO, Sakhile Rise, in 2022, to bring musical theatre and culture to disadvantaged communities and develop young artists with an interest in music and theatre.

According to Tsotetsi, the initial goal was to train the youth to organise events and portray social and economic issues on stage.

The group has since tackled issues such as parental responsibility, gender-based violence, teenage pregnancy and bullying in schools.

Tsotetsi’s long journey was initially aimed at securing funding for the organisation and pleading with theatres to give learners from rural schools the opportunity to witness professional actors on stage.

The journey took him from Standerton through Nthorwane to Heidelberg, Germiston, Soweto, Boksburg, Delmas, Ogies, Middelburg, Emakhazeni, Machadodorp and Schoemanskloof, all the way to his final destination in Mbombela.

According to Tsotetsi, this was a long journey and a labour of love as he had to face many challenges.

Tsotetsi explained that the unfamilliar environments, heat, and challenges to obtain drinkable water forced him to make use of every opportunity. Many nights, Tsotetsi would set up his tent, not knowing what could happen through the night.

“I could be robbed at any moment,” explained Tsotetsi.

He was forced to face his fears and spent many nights sleeping next to the side of the road. What kept Tsotetsi going was the immense support he received from strangers he met along the way. According to Tsotetsi, many people followed his journey. One trucker even made a U-turn on the side of the freeway to speak to him.

“It gave me extra energy, and I could reach my destination because of the support,” stated Tsotetsi.

He was generally well received where he walked, which helped him stay positive despite the challenges. Tsotetsi stated that he returned from this journey as a different person with more patience and kindness.

He explained that he would take to the road again in a heartbeat if he had to. Donations to Sakhile Rise can be made to the following banking details: account holder Sakhile Rise, cheque account number 63189190324, and branch code 270 443.

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