Footbridge

There were many motivations for the Police walk undertaken in 1999/2000 not the least of which were personal and selfish. However the mugging of Roger Russell, the attempt on his life and theft of all of his equipment at a well-known squatter camp put the event on the International map. The young boys who tried to take from Roger gave us the walk. People and media from all over the world voiced their support and admiration for the idea and the man that would undertake it. With unexpected sponsorship from a large hotel chain and a string of equipment and food suppliers the walk was not only suddenly viable but very popular. The narrative is sometimes humorous, sometimes disturbing and always honest. It will lead you along the National highways of South Africa and introduce to you the villains and saints that live and work alongside of it. It will confirm the existence of apathy and despair at many of the service stations as well as the hope and creativity, and sometimes just plain old fashioned good management, at many others. This is not a work of fiction but a picture of the South African Rainbow Nation nine years on from Independence. The contradiction between the disaster prophesied for both Roger and the walk and the spirit that the public showed when encountering the message and the man will surprise you. Nobody who reads this book will come away with anything but a more positive vision of the future for this incredibly rich country and its wonderful people.