“Dear mayor, please can you listen to our story…”
So go many of the 300 letters — all written by Mdantsane children — which will be lugged for 1,000km around Buffalo City.
After 25 days of ridiculous in-your-face public slogging, a man who really, really believes, former Selborne College English teacher-turned-sports activist for youths, Jono Kruger, will finally deliver the mail to the City Hall doorstep of mayor Princess Faku.
The message in the letters, says the 43-year-old endurance athlete and innovative coach, is a plea to support initiatives, like his not-for-profit Coach in a Box, which give struggling children technical inspiration.
The programme, run under Kruger’s EduSport umbrella, partners with Masinyusane, iZibalo, and Thetha Nathi, forming a strong network of youth development organisations across the province.
The project is for community actors with heart, those who want to coach or mentor. They will receive the best, most accessible information available.
It will be a mission that will test every fiber of his body and being.
For 25 days, the shaven-headed Kruger will clip on a padded chest harness attached to a pole supporting a branded storage box of letters with the words “Every child is a champion, and every champion needs a coach”.
The box rests on two wheels.
Then this rig will be carted for the equivalent of a 42.2km marathon every day for 25 days straight.
Don’t worry about missing him: you will see him here, there and everywhere in the city.
Don’t feel shy to give him a wave, hoot or cheer him on.
“These letters are the voices of the children we serve,” Kruger said.
“They speak for the thousands of other young people who deserve a chance to shine.”
The spark for the run came from Kruger’s son, Joel, who a year ago asked a simple question: “Dad, why don’t you run from Cape Town to East London to raise funds for your programme?”
“At first, I thought it was impossible. The logistics and preparation were overwhelming. But the idea stayed with me — and eventually, I realised I just had to do something.”
Kruger says he has applied his mind and experience to try to give young people in under-resourced communities the inspiration to become coaches, mentors and role models.
He is convinced that sport, education, and life-skills training are, when pursued with intent and passion, a way to find employment and purpose.
“We give local youth social impact jobs and equip them to guide children in their communities,” Kruger said.
“We’re tackling youth unemployment, lack of sports development, illiteracy, and innumeracy, while also providing holistic care through social workers.”
Kruger is nipping. Has he been over-ambitious?
“I’ve battled flu on and off, and training has been tough,” he said. “I’ve run a marathon with the box in tow, but this is a different league altogether. The pros say you get fit on the job — I hope they’re right!”
He will not be alone on our roads. A three-person support crew will ride with him as he wends his way on routes linking with main sponsor SPAR’s stores and also those of others backing the project are Mercedes-Benz, Selborne College, Kempston Hire, Moldenhauer Group, Automotive Learning Academy, Racefood, Thirsti and Kecks.
“The logistics have been massive, and I don’t like asking for help,” Kruger said.
“But these partners have made the impossible possible. Their support — and that of individuals — is what’s keeping this run alive.”
Kruger hopes to capture the attention of the mayor and promote collaboration among government, corporates, and civil society.
“We need the mayor’s influence to bring people together,” he said.
“We’ve already seen what’s possible. This year, with SPAR’s help, we built three new netball courts — now hundreds of girls are playing on a court for the first time. Imagine what we could achieve if everyone worked together.”
Kruger envisions a united effort to align stipends, resources, and opportunities that can transform Mdantsane through sport, education and mental wellness projects.
He has already engaged several prominent sporting schools in discussions about creating pathways that lead from “sport for development” to “sport development,” helping children transition from grassroots play to competitive excellence.
“We have the talent, the workforce, and the system.
“We just need to work together to give our children the best possible future.”
Kruger says his unusual effort is less about him, and more about giving children hope and a voice.
“Every child is a champion. Every champion needs a coach. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something. What are you doing?”
Follow Kruger or support the campaign at:
https://sportforlives.org/campaigns/ every-child-is-a-champion-1000km-run-for-coach-empowerment/
Go! will be providing updates on the run.
