In almost every city I’ve walked through, I’ve tried to meet the mayor. And almost every time, I’ve been bumped.
Not in Swellendam.
The Mayor of Swellendam cleared his entire afternoon to sit down with me and have an honest conversation about housing.
We spoke about the housing challenges facing the municipality, where they’ve made progress, where they can improve, and how Ubuntu Home could support the implementation of the Enhanced People’s Housing Process (EPHP).
One thing we both agreed on is the urgent need for a digital housing registry. People deserve to know where they are on the housing waiting list, be able to update their details, and have greater transparency in the process.
We also spoke about a difficult reality: government simply doesn’t have enough money to build a house for everyone. But government can provide serviced land, and platforms like Ubuntu Home can help people design, plan, finance, and build homes of their own. That combination could unlock dignity, ownership, and faster housing delivery across South Africa.
Before leaving, the Mayor gifted me a Swellendam umbrella and promised to introduce me to the Mayor of Cape Town (@geordinhl) so we can continue the conversation about how technology and innovation can help bridge Cape Town’s housing deficit.
We also discussed the story of the gentleman I met whose home was flattened by the recent storms. I’m grateful that James, a Harvard alumnus who hosted me in Swellendam and arranged this meeting, will be following up with the Rotary Fund to help ensure he receives the support he needs.
This walk started as a journey to raise funds for Harvard and advocate for housing. Along the way, it has become something more. It has become a series of conversations with South Africans from every walk of life about what it will take to build a more dignified future.
Thank you, Swellendam. 🇿🇦❤️
#WalkToHarvard #UbuntuHome #HousingForAll #Swellendam #EPHP
I got hit by the storm today. 🌧️
The HOKAs that have carried me for the past 1,000km are drenched, and so are the rest of my clothes. The challenge is that I still have about 200km left to walk before reaching Cape Town.
If you know someone at HOKA, Adidas, Nike, Brooks, or any other running brand who can help me get across the finish line, please holla. If you don’t, please tag them.
For those who don’t know, I’m currently walking from Durban to Cape Town through my Walk For Home campaign to raise awareness about South Africa’s housing crisis while funding my Harvard education.
I may be soaked, but I’m still moving forward. 😅😂🇿🇦
Free agent. Ready to get signed 💪🏾🇿🇦
Day 40 of walking from Durban to Cape Town to fund my Harvard education and solve the housing crisis in South Africa.
When I entered the Western Cape, I struggled to find hosts. And if I’m honest, I started to wonder if history was quietly standing in the way… if I wouldn’t be welcomed into certain homes.
Then Helen sent me a DM. Just an open door.
Today I’m in Wilderness, sitting with Helen, her husband, and their friends, talking about housing, storms, climate change, and what it really means to build homes that can hold us. What stayed with me is this: we are more alike than we are different.
Same worries. Same hopes. Same desire for something better.
They took me up the mountain to the Map of Africa, and standing there, I felt it clearly, this journey is bigger than fear and bigger than the past. It’s about what we choose to build now, together.
This walk is about reimagining home.
Not just as a place, but as dignity, connection, and possibility.
One open door at a time.
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