Elderly residents from Soweto joined a five-kilometre walk as part of the 17th Annual Gogo Joint Walk initiative. The event promotes active lifestyles to combat age-related illnesses. Organisers call for government support to expand the programme.
On November 1, 2025, elderly people from across Soweto gathered for the 17th Annual Gogo Joint Walk, a five-kilometre event aimed at keeping seniors active and healthy. Held at Mofolo Community Hall, the initiative sees participants exercise every Saturday, helping to reduce conditions like high blood pressure, arthritis, and other age-related illnesses.
Tshidi Masolane, one of the organisers, emphasised the walk's benefits: “This walk is important because it gives you stamina and keeps you healthy as an older person. It helps delay aging, even when you’re 40, you’ll look a lot younger. Older people need to take care of their health and keep exercising because it makes us feel alive, releases depression, cancer and high blood pressure.”
Participants shared personal stories of improvement. One attendee noted: “This walk has taught me the importance of staying active. I walk 5km everyday and it really works for me. Even though I’m much older, I can walk long distances and benefit a lot from it. Thanks to this daily walk, I no longer suffer from a lot of illnesses, and I know I will live longer.” Many described the event not just as fitness but as a way to live healthier lives and fight diseases for longevity.
Founder Joyce Ncala urged government involvement: “No one is assisting us, not even the government. If it were not for my family, I don’t think I would have been able to continue for this long. The government should take such initiatives seriously.” Organisers seek funding to reach more communities and raise awareness of elderly health challenges. They plan to expand to other townships next year, encouraging both young and old to exercise.