Steve has just done something incredible! He’s walked 300 km, from Mossel Bay to Plettenberg Bay, in his ongoing mission to raise over a million rand to help fund the studies of young students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Cape Town, South Africa (07 April 2026) – Retired Steve Murphy first had the idea after his wife Jenny counselled a young Zimbabwean girl who had lost her estranged father, and her mother just six months later. At eighteen, this left her unable to complete her matric, and with it, her future shrank in ways it shouldn’t have had to.

Thankfully, Steve and Jenny were able to help her financially. In doing so, they realised how many more young adults were navigating the same reality in South Africa. Too many capable minds are denied the chance to build careers, support their families and contribute to society, simply because they can’t afford to finish school or get into tertiary education.

“We could help the young lady financially but we also realised there were many others in this predicament and thought we would try ‘something’ like a walk!” Steve tells us.

That’s how it began. He mapped out a 300-kilometre route from bay to bay, a growing BackaBuddy campaign in tow, with an initial goal of one million rand, enough to cover student fees for at least a handful of young South Africans who needed a hand.

Steve started out knowing his efforts wouldn’t solve the national unemployment crisis, but was equally convinced that hope, placed in capable hands, leads somewhere worth going.

“I am not really trying to ‘eat the elephant’ – I think, if we give young people skills we create hope and they are resourceful enough to find their own way. Build a solid base (that is an entity which is credible, authentic and real) and which others are happy to support, and the rest will follow. Empowered people do things that assist others.”

A call for sponsorship went out to his network, and Steve set off step by step. Over two weeks, he crossed the Garden Route to Storms River and back to Plettenberg Bay. He covered 300 km, averaging around 20 kilometres a day. It’s no small feat for anyone, let alone a champ of 74!

The road made space for all kinds of thoughts, but perhaps the greatest realisation was that making a difference can be as straightforward as putting one foot in front of the other for a worthy cause.

“I am a person of faith, so I did wonder if in my latter years I might still be fruitful. I also was encouraged to reach out to others with so little when I had so much. I was profoundly moved by the courtesy, kindness and respect from fellow pedestrians. I wondered if I lived in the same country as our parliamentarians and much of the media. I do not want to diminish the pain of those who have suffered violence and loss, but whilst that was a concern of mine, my lived experience was very different. So my thoughts have turned to registering a PBO and doing this ‘full time’ going forward.”

Along the way, Steve and his network raised R226,792. And then came a pledge that blew his original goal out of the water.

“The support I’ve received has been amazing, outstanding and humbling. I also received a pledge from the Graduate Institute of Financial Sciences of R1 million in educational bursaries for 2026!”

Around ten applicants have already reached out for help. The R1.25 million raised so far will get their studies off the ground, but the goal has grown, and so has Steve’s appetite for it. He’s already planning the next one.

“Now that I’ve reached the end of the journey, I feel on top of the world, grateful for a body that is still resilient, and ready to do more – I’m motivated for next year’s effort!”

Ultimately, choosing to give might just be the most rewarding thing a person can do with their time on earth.

“So much of western lifestyle is about getting, keeping, having. Jesus taught that giving is more blessed. It brings more contentment and satisfaction than getting. This exercise has confirmed for me that truth! So here is to trying to give a little more each day!”

Steve’s campaign is still running. If you’d like to support his cause, follow this link.

Sources: GTG Interview.

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Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes and hear their incredible stories:

Or catch an episode of Good Things with Brent Lindeque or our Weekly Top 5 below. The videos here are always changing, updated with the latest episodes from these two shows. Both are part of Good Things TV, created to bring South Africans balance at a time when the news can feel overwhelmingly negative. Our goal is simple: to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in our country – and to leave you feeling a little more proudly South African. 

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One of South Africa’s most iconic drives has just been ranked number one in the world, putting it ahead of some of the planet’s most famous routes.

Garden Route, South Africa (04 April 2026) – You don’t need a passport stamp to experience one of the greatest road trips on Earth. You just need a good playlist, a sense of adventure and a stretch of road that South Africans have been bragging about for years.

And now, the rest of the world knows about it too.

In a new global study by Autotrader, in partnership with senior meteorologist Jim R N Dale, South Africa’s Garden Route has officially been ranked the best road trip in the world for driving conditions.

The research set out to understand what really makes a road trip feel effortless and enjoyable behind the wheel. Dale pointed out that visibility is the most important factor when it comes to ideal driving conditions, and from there, the study looked at five key elements: road surface conditions, clear days, wind speed, ground temperature and humidity comfort. All of these were combined into a “Perfect Driving Weather” score.

The Garden Route didn’t just perform well across those categories. It delivered a near-perfect score of 90.6 out of 100, placing it firmly at the top of the global rankings.

Running roughly 300 kilometres from Mossel Bay to Storms River, this iconic stretch offers more than just scenery. It’s a drive where everything seems to align. Clear skies that open up the horizon, gentle winds that don’t interrupt the journey and temperatures that make you want to keep going just a little bit further. Along the way, the Indian Ocean glimmers beside you, forests close in with that deep green calm, and mountain passes add just enough drama to keep things interesting.

Trailing just behind South Africa are some of the world’s most famous routes. Route 66 in the United States takes second place, followed by the Pacific Coast Highway. Both are known for their long, open stretches and reliable sunshine, while destinations like Italy’s Amalfi Coast, Spain’s Costa Brava and Australia’s Great Ocean Road also feature in the top ten.

1. Garden Route – South Africa
2. Route 66 – United States
3. Pacific Coast Highway – United States
4. Amalfi Coast Road – Italy
5. Costa Brava Coastal Roads – Spain
6. Great Ocean Road – Australia
7. Icefields Parkway – Canada
8. Loire Valley Drives – France
9. Kahekili Highway – United States
10. Norwegian Atlantic Road – Norway

But even among those globally celebrated drives, the Garden Route was number 1 for a reason.

Erin Baker from Autotrader captured the magic of it perfectly, “Every driver knows the feeling: windows down, the road stretching out under a clear sky, conditions so perfect you could stay behind the wheel all day.”

“We wanted to find out which of the world’s great roads most often deliver this experience and were pleasantly surprised by just how many countries across the globe have roads that scored highly in our Perfect Driving Weather index.”

“Whether you’re planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip along the Garden Route or a weekend loop somewhere closer to home, the right conditions and the right car can turn a good drive into an unforgettable one.”

But South Africans knew this already. This isn’t a hidden gem or a place you need to discover. It’s a route that families have travelled for generations, where friends have made memories on long weekends and where solo trips have turned into something meaningful along the way.

So the next time you find yourself on that road, windows open, music playing, taking in the coastline and everything that comes with it, remember this: you’re not just on a good drive… you’re on the best one in the world.

Sources: Autotrader 

Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google. 

Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes and hear their incredible stories:

Or catch an episode of Good Things with Brent Lindeque or our Weekly Top 5 below. The videos here are always changing, updated with the latest episodes from these two shows. Both are part of Good Things TV, created to bring South Africans balance at a time when the news can feel overwhelmingly negative. Our goal is simple: to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in our country – and to leave you feeling a little more proudly South African. 

The post The World’s Best Road Trip Is Right Here in South Africa! appeared first on Good Things Guy.