Walking the cross to Mighty Men event
Travelling the 366km from Gonubie to Jeffreys Bay on foot would be difficult enough, but Reini Coetzee is doing it bearing a tall wooden cross with a single wheel at the end along the highways in order to raise awareness of the upcoming Mighty Men conference that will take place from March 8 to 10.
This will be the second time Coetzee has made the journey and it probably won’t be his last.
Along with his two helpers, Martin Douglas and Derek Grobbelaar, there to support Coetzee in his quest, the party was joined at Port Alfred by local liaison officer Dawie Louw, who organised accommodation and an evening meal for them.
In 2018, Coetzee had to travel about 40km further before reaching his destination.
The location of 2019’s conference is marginally closer.
Still, with steely grit and determination, Coetzee is happy to push and pull the cross to the conference.
Louw said that during 2018’s effort, he walked along with the party from Port Alfred to just before Alexandria.
He explained why the journey could be perilous.
“Just as I left them at the side of the road last year, a truck drove past us and the wind generated almost pulled us off our feet,” Louw said.
“I think we are being protected by God.”
Coetzee said he was making the journey again in 2019 in an attempt to unite the people of SA, as well as draw attention for the Mighty Men conference.
The party set of from their homes in Gonubie on March 1. They reached Port Alfred on the evening of Sunday March 3 and are confident, barring any accidents, of reaching the conference in time.