No Fit: My 1,700-Mile Walk from Apartheid

By Nico de Klerk

As a white man walking solo across South Africa for 1,708 miles, Nico de Klerk's unannounced arrival at more than 100 townships (segregated areas of Black population post-apartheid) with no pre-arrangement could be seen as abnormal, even suicidal, behavior. Why did he do it? Nico lived a No Fit lifestyle akin to that of a lone wolf. His unconventional and groundbreaking journey led to the most transformative and unexpected experiences—fostering connections while disruption perceptions of South African society.

 

Through delivering workshops on the entrepreneurial mindset to nearly 50,000 students and the impoverished—while conducting research about the South African strategy to address poverty, unemployment, and inequality—Nico's journey transcended that of a long walk. Blending socioeconomics, neuroscience, and spirituality, while revealing what it means to be human on this planet, Nico's work was awarded the Best Global Innovative Project for 2018 by Life Learning Academia, with the Edward de Bono Reference Award.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Spiritus Communications
• Release date: Apr 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9781957473987

Book preview

No Fit

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR NO FIT

Nico de Klerk is one of the rare gems who doesn’t dare teach or write what he hasn’t lived himself. During our time at NASA, I listened intently to his stories, marveled at his adventures, and learned true wisdom tested in the fire. This book is my extraordinary opportunity to walk this long road with Nico, side by side, and learn from him again. I’m taking this journey because I can’t afford to miss a word of what he has to say. Come along, I beg you. Your life will never be the same.

—Dragos Bratasanu, PhD, award-winning scientist and author of The Pursuit of Dreams and Behold The Breath of Life

Dr. Nico De Klerk’s determination to make a difference in the lives of young people in South Africa by teaching entrepreneurial skills deeply resonated with the team at The Educated Zebra Foundation. Our involvement with the publication of this book was to share the story of his Long Walk with all young Nelsons. This book will inspire, motivate, and challenge everyone to embrace learning and be empowered to make changes for themselves and their communities. 

—Marlynne Marlow, Diana Kollevoll, and Ana Shah, Educated Zebra Foundation

"The urgency has never been so high. Inequalities, lack of perspective, poor health care, and the climate crisis are interrelated. The time to act is now. This book is a source of inspiration to many, showing that you can dream big and act with impact—resilient, committed, with humor and an open mindset—step by step, mile by mile.

—Aart Bos, global leadership, MasterPeace

Improving the quality of life for the bottom end of society, especially when dealing with the complex challenges in a country like South Africa, requires just the type of socially innovative mindset that Nico possesses. I saw this in him the first time we met, and his holistic approach to creating strategic interventions inspired me to want to join him personally at his launch in 2018. Nico continued to display this mindset throughout his walk and well beyond.

—Jeff Hoffman, global entrepreneur from Priceline.com, Booking.com, uBid.com; chairman, Global Entrepreneurship Network

Nico has illuminated the intrinsic power of humans to act on and exert control over their own future. Walking from Pretoria to Cape Town, he seeks to spread a simple seed of entrepreneurship. But the journey also delivers its own message back to the walker: I was never turned away," he reports. The seed is already there, among the people, a resource to be further developed and renewed."

—Brad Rourke, program officer, Charles F. Kettering Foundation, USA

Nico honored the legacy of Nelson Mandela by taking an unusual journey. He began a four-month pilgrimage on foot through 100 townships to seek out and greet fellow Black citizens he would not ordinarily meet as a White man with a PhD. By demonstrating genuine interest in those he met in random encounters, he encouraged people to seize a positive future. Through this journey, he married his academic understanding of entrepreneurship with the grounded experiences of his fellow South Africans.

—Carol E. Lytch, PhD, president emerita of Lancaster Theological Seminary, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA

"At my invitation, Nico joined my workshop at NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory. We were on similar journeys, to enhance the human condition. Mine was stimulated by leading the team that built Hubble Space Telescope with a flawed mirror, launching it, and mounting the mission that repaired it in space; his by unique experiences on the ground in South Africa. Our mutually rewarding relationship continues to this day. Nico is 100 percent committed to improving lives by broadly emplacing the mindset of entrepreneurship in his country, and more broadly—revealing otherwise hidden solutions. I admire Nico and the nobility of his quest. One would be foolish to bet against him instead of encouraging and joining him. Reading No Fit would be a good start."

—Charles J. Pellerin Jr., PhD, astrophysics, author of How NASA Builds Teams, and president, 4-D Systems

What impresses me about Nico’s book, his passion, and commitment to the people of South Africa, is he gets it! Complex human situations require commitments, tools, and leadership willing to ‘systems engineer’ the human context and innate behaviors that prevent us all from achieving a better world. I wish Nico all the best in his endeavors and confess it is easier to get humans to build successful space missions than to build a better world.

—Franklin D Martin, PhD, physics; owner, Frank Martin Consulting LLC

Dr. de Klerk’s avowed goal was to promote an entrepreneurial mindset among high school students. Along the way, Nico shares insights from conversations with young South Africans, many of whom had never spoken with a White man. The narrative is intensely personal, but has much larger implications for both entrepreneurship and society. Entrepreneurship involves taking action, overcoming inertia, and producing change for the better. Nico’s work embodies all these principles. His book is an eloquent testimony to the power of social entrepreneurship in getting people to imagine different futures for themselves—in which they are empowered to alter their own destinies. Reading the book, you might just learn something important about yourself.

—Kelly G. Shaver, PhD, president of Mindcette, USA

"As you read No Fit, you will have the unforgettable experience of walking with Nico for four and a half months, meeting teenagers and the unemployed oppressed by the legacy of apartheid. Their challenges, dreams, and potential will touch you. Readers beware—the author’s passion, humor, spirituality, stories, reflections, and ‘just make it work’ mindset are contagious! May No Fit inspire our own unique missions and the bold steps needed to impact individuals and systems for good in our corners of the world. And may many of us linger with the Appendix, as we consider how to support the societal change Nico and the Be a Nelson movement are bringing about."

—Rev. Nancy Schongalla, LMFT in private practice; former director of student counseling, Princeton Theological Seminary; founder of Adopt a South African Preschool

Nico returned from the Camino de Santiago convinced that it is too rich and transformative to be contained by the one who receives its gifts. He undertook his own pilgrimage through his native South Africa with a mission to share the lessons he learned with residents of the townships, helping them draw on their inner resources and the strength of their communities to unleash an entrepreneurial mindset that can transform a nation.

—Steve Lytch, PhD, veteran peregrino

Nico is a giver of a different kind, a believer in God and his people, and a friend. His energy in what he believes in is inexhaustible and an example to us all. We need the entrepreneurs from ordinary people to come forward and build this great nation; Nico is playing his part, with distinction.

—Kobus Fick, director of Fourier Approach (Pty) Ltd, South Africa

"The Long Walk is much more than a 129-day walk. It’s a lifelong walk for Dr. De Klerk and conversation with anyone who will listen and open their hearts and minds to his calls for action, reflecting on Nelson Mandela’s teaching and legacy. As you read No Fit, I encourage you to reflect on your own life purpose, perhaps joining the Be a Nelson movement and contributing to making our world a better place. This book would be a great companion in your lifelong journey—take it with you!"

—Larisa K. Schelkin, PhD, teaching faculty, science diplomacy, UN Institute for Training and Research; NASA GLOBE educator, partner, IVSS Judge, GISN; Harvard University Global Education Think Tank 2015–2019; fellow, Global Diplomacy Initiative, UNITAR Class 2021; CEO, president, and founder, Global STEM Education Center, Inc.

"No Fit is a book of which embodies the threshold experience. It engages the value and potential of liminality, which Victor Turner described as a creative time full of potential. A liminal or threshold space-time is, however, simultaneously challenging and often difficult to be in. In this innovative book, the reader walks a long road with the author—however, staying all the way on the threshold, experiencing the importance of the journey, the pilgrimage, and how the experience of no fit can make you fit for life."

—Cas Wepener, PhD, practical theology at Stellenbosch University, South Africa

In this book, Nico links caring spirituality with common sense and compassionate intent. A cautionary: do not read this book if you require another static and staid recipe-like standard operating manual on pop psychology or five-minute management. But please do engage with the work if you want to reflect on and be transformed by mindset changing, thinking, feeling, and action—which makes sense through sensitivity and sensibility.

—Erwin Schwella, PhD, dean at the School of Social Innovation, Huguenot College, Wellington, South Africa

Nico, may your book inspire and invite many of us—to help, to support, to live the dream of walking together the Long Walk, day by day, step by step, towards a new reality that might look like expressions of the Kingdom of God!

—Malan Nel, PhD, senior research fellow, Department of Practical Theology, University of Pretoria, South Africa

"No Fit is a work springing from inspiration (probably about 4 to 5 percent) and massively hard labor. It cannot be easy to put 1,700 miles and two years of walking, listening, talking, and experiencing, into a single volume. But the book speaks of just that. I have known Nico for close to ten years. What is said of him in his introduction is definitely the way I got to know and experience him. It is always a treat to listen to him telling of yet more phenomenal experiences with people (including himself!), places and ideas. It is never boring! I have no doubt that all who read this will be thoroughly engrossed and inspired by it."

—Judge R D Claassen, South Africa

"Our engineering minds and logical approach often fall short in solving complex problems that require a more diverse set of inputs, including those of a social science nature. In this journey, we all realize that our piece of the solution puzzle, which may be perceived initially to be a no fit or only a partial fit to the complete solution, can become much more powerful when complemented with other diverse pieces—until the puzzle is completed. I commend Nico on creating and encouraging an entrepreneurial mindset through this book."

—Pieter Conradie, director of Fourier Approach (Pty) Ltd, South Africa

‘It is in your hands now.’ With these words Nelson Mandela encouraged the next generation to show leadership and address injustices. Nico took the bait and walked 1,700 miles to unlock the hidden potential of South Africa’s youth. He challenges everyone to take up his or her own passions and get going. His Long Walk was not for the fainthearted. Mandela set the tone with his long walk to freedom. He inspired a nation. This book will now inspire everyone who wants to build bridges across old divides, realize their dreams, and embrace an entrepreneurial mindset. The lessons drawn from the author’s walking experience will help to break the shackles of poverty and unemployment.

—Dr. Leon Wessels, politician, National Party negotiator, human rights activist, and writer; author of MY RIGHTS! Your rights? Let’s talk! and Encountering Apartheid’s Ghosts—From Krugersdorp to Constitution Hill

Having Nico de Klerk as a dad has been an extraordinary privilege and wonderful adventure! From early days, we’ve been exposed to very unique life skills and road trips every single school holiday, which have shaped who we are and how we approach life. It’s an honor to know your dad would really do anything for you, and that nothing is ever too much for him. He’s always been an inspiration in the way he deals with people, treats everyone equally, and brings life and hope to a situation—often with a unique approach that no one had thought of. Ever since we can remember, he’s led by example, teaching us and everyone he comes in contact with to act boldly, keep asking questions, never accept the status quo, and approach life as an ever-evolving Camino.

—Sunica Monard and Lize Esterhuysen, Nico’s two daughters

NO FIT

MY 1,700-MILE WALK FROM APARTHEID

NICO DE KLERK, PHD

SPIRITUS COMMUNICATIONS

No Fit: My 1,700-Mile Walk from Apartheid

by Nico de Klerk

Copyright © 2023

All rights reserved.

This book reflects the author’s present recollections of experiences that occurred in the past. Some names and identifying characteristics have been changed, some events have been compressed, and some dialogue has been recreated.

ISBN: 978-1-957473-99-4 (paperback)

ISBN: 978-1-957473-98-7 (e-book)

Editing and writing services by Scott and Jocelyn Carbonara

Proofreading by Amy Weinstein

Cover design by Phil Studdard

Interior design by Jenny Lisk

Published by Spiritus Communications, Hillsborough, North Carolina, USA

This book is dedicated to:

Those who have broken, or are breaking, the chains of apartheid—including its resulting mindset, poverty, unemployment, and inequality as stated by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Those in need of a message of hope.

Those demonstrating the virtue of goodwill—including those building bridges between rich and poor, diverse cultural groups, academic institutions, townships, churches, and those who the church includes in its mission.

Those wide-eyed students in townships—eager to learn, underestimated in their potential—and their parents, who are praying and begging for a better future for their children.

Those realizing that our culture keeps talking about doing something to help the poor or right the wrongs, while knowing that talking has created a comfort zone which lulls us into believing that we’re doing something even when we aren’t.

Those who are bothered by the question, Why can’t Africa look after itself? and who are prepared to take hands in search for answers.

Two dear friends who wholeheartedly supported my mission and efforts before passing during 2022: Judge Talla Claassen, trustee member of StreetBiz Foundation, and Lalien Cilliers.

CONTENTS

Foreword

Leonie Baldacchino, PhD

Introduction

1. And So It Begins

2. No Fit

3. Walk and Talk

4. Are We There Yet?

5. Failure Is Not an Option

6. Just Make It Work

7. Find a Way, or Make an Excuse

8. God Works in Mysterious Ways

9. Just Get to the Point!

10. Another Proud South African

11. Memories of Sbahle

12. Lost in Thought

13. Homecoming and Hardship

14. Access

15. Following My Nose

16. The Lady of Ladybrand

17. Miracles Out of Mayhem

18. Revisiting My Past

19. The Little Mouse That Took on the Orange River

20. Divine Interventions or Chance Encounters?

21. Know Yourself

22. What the Stars Saw

23. Ghosts of Detachment

24. Historically and Currently Disadvantaged

25. The One I Didn’t See Coming

26. A Rookie Mistake

27. A Word from the Youth

28. Ronnie’s Sex Shop

29. When Your Legs Give Out, Lean

30. Divine Intervention

31. Will You Trust Me?

32. My Nameless Guardian Angel

33. Perseverance

Afterword

What Now?

Acknowledgments

Appendix

Bibliography

About the Author

FOREWORD

LEONIE BALDACCHINO, PHD

My path crossed with Nico’s in 2017 when I was thousands of miles away from home, in Johannesburg, South Africa. We were both standing in line for the registration desk at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress, which takes place in a different country each year. A loud noise behind us startled us, but when we looked back and saw that it was nothing to worry about, we smiled and struck up a friendly conversation, as one generally does while queueing at a conference, to make the most of each networking opportunity. The exchange that followed puts a grin on my face to this very day, but I will say no more about it here—as Nico tells this story in his chapter, Chance Encounters or Divine Interventions?—except that, whichever of these two it was, it laid the foundation for the ongoing mutual support for each other’s entrepreneurship education endeavours, and eventually led to my writing this foreword.

When we first met, Nico was still in the planning stages of his Long Walk (although as you will read in the book, his journey had begun many years before and is still far from over). Back in that queue, he briefly mentioned that he was preparing for a 1,700-mile walk across South Africa, with stops in more than 100 townships, to develop in young people the mindset of entrepreneurs. In hindsight, and from a purely rational perspective, I should have responded with at least some scepticism—but instead, I intuitively believed him. Perhaps it was the passion with which he spoke about his project, or the aura of genuine goodwill that he conveyed, but it never crossed my mind that he would not see it through. I was intrigued and wanted to know more, and I felt that I could contribute in some way through my own background in entrepreneurship education, so we agreed to meet for coffee to explore collaboration opportunities.

During that initial meeting and in our conversations that followed over the years, we discovered that we have several things in common. We both have a habit of speaking to ourselves—or, as I prefer to call it, thinking aloud. Nico says that he relished the conversations he had with himself during his Long Walk; he found his own company to be polite, open to new ideas, and rarely dismissive. Although most of you are probably smiling at these words, and many people would consider such a habit as quirky at best, research indicates that self-talk may have several benefits including idea development and learning.

We also share an appreciation for the value of intuition, his stemming from his grandmother’s advice, mine from my own research, and both of ours from our experience. Nico speaks frequently about following his nose, and I too followed my intuition in many of my interactions with him. I have already mentioned how I intuitively believed in his project from the start. Moreover, when he honoured me with the invitation to write this foreword, I had not read the book, but I immediately accepted. I knew, deep in my gut, that it would be a great story. Although when actually reading it, my expectations were exceeded. I thought I knew all about his Long Walk, but before reading the book, I had no idea of what he really went through. As I turned page after page, I was carried away on his incredible journey, and I felt amazed, amused, and even moved to tears a couple of times!

Most importantly of all, we share a deep belief in the power of entrepreneurship for transforming people’s lives for the better. He believes that entrepreneurship is the only way forward for the unemployed and the youth, especially in townships, to take control of their own destinies. His mission is to help them thrive, by replacing their sense of dependency, helplessness, and resentment with an entrepreneurial mindset, business skills, and empowerment. He recognises that many other countries face similar challenges and would benefit from a similar solution, which I entirely agree with. I too believe that an entrepreneurial mindset is the key to addressing many of the world’s problems, even in regions that are more developed than the impoverished townships that Nico visited, because it enables individuals to identify and exploit opportunities for the betterment of their lives and communities.

I, and many others, have written and lectured extensively about this. However, Nico goes four million steps beyond that, by literally walking the talk to inspire not only through his words, but, more importantly, through his actions. The European Commission identified a sense of initiative and entrepreneurship as a key competence for lifelong learning that should be fostered across all levels of education. This key competence is defined as the capacity to act upon opportunities and ideas, and to transform them into value for others. It is founded upon creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving, taking initiative and perseverance and the ability to work collaboratively in order to plan and manage projects that are of cultural, social, or financial value (Topic 2: Entrepreneurship).

Ultimately, this is exactly what this book is about. As Nico narrates his extraordinary journey across South Africa, through a unique blend of humorous storytelling and philosophical reflections, he shows (possibly unintentionally) how he embodies the entrepreneurial mindset that he seeks to inspire in others. This is a book about thinking outside the box to turn problems into opportunities, and ideas into actions. It is about resourcefulness, tenacity, and resilience—even when life throws lemon after lemon. It is about generosity, trust, and faith; about positivity, optimism, and hope.

In 2019, I nominated Nico for Professor Edward de Bono’s Reference Award in recognition of his outstanding Long Walk for the Entrepreneurial Mindset, in which he covered 1,700 miles (2,750 km) on foot and taught entrepreneurial skills to 50,000 people living among 104 communities—all in 130 days. He won this award hands down, and as you read this book, I am certain you will agree that it was more than well-deserved.

Later that year, Nico travelled to Malta and was overjoyed to receive his award from Edward de Bono himself. After the award-giving ceremony, we enjoyed a lively dinner where Nico and Edward expressed mutual admiration for their distinct yet remarkable achievements and shared stories, jokes, and ideas. This shall forever remain a treasured memory for us, particularly as Edward sadly passed away not long after, in June 2021. During his time in Malta, Nico also held meetings with me and my colleagues at the University of Malta, where he enthralled and entertained us with snippets of his Long Walk adventure.

Nico invites us all to Be a Nelson (Nelson Mandela). If this does not resonate with you, then Be a Nico. Very few people in the world are physically and psychologically capable of doing what he has done, but we are all able to contribute in our own little ways. At the very least, aim to abide by the one-person principle that he espouses in his book: Be that one person to do one thing that might make a difference, for even the seemingly smallest acts of kindness could change someone’s life for the better. Next, if you have not yet developed your own entrepreneurial mindset, then seek ways of doing so, and you will discover that this is beneficial not only for the purpose of running one’s own business, but for every aspect of one’s personal and professional life. Finally, if you have developed an entrepreneurial mindset, then apply it to worthy causes, join him in his endeavour to foster it in others, and help him generate further support and funding for his ongoing laudable mission.

Leonie Baldacchino, PhD

Director

The Edward de Bono Institute for Creative Thinking & Innovation

University of Malta

www.um.edu.mt/create

INTRODUCTION

"No Fit," my then-five-year-old cousin, Olivia, responded when I asked her what I should title my book that I hadn’t planned to write.

No Fit sounded like mysterious, quaint five-year-old-speak describing someone who needed more physical exercise.

However curious, lovely Olivia’s title, No Fit, stuck with me. It was certainly an apt summary of my life up to that point—and it would continue to fit me moving forward.

My strange journey and life choices had, indeed, made me a no fit in the eyes of many, and it became the narrative of my life since leaving the pastorate in 1993. Okay, maybe the no fit narrative was also my reason for leaving ministry. After completing seminary and serving my first congregation as pastor, I parted ways with my denomination and church; I was deemed too liberal due to my opposition to apartheid.

After 1993, I had no stable income, nor was I on anyone’s payroll—not even at the consultancy firm I had owned, grown, and left after more than twenty years. In that role, I had guided groups and individuals in the corporate world, sharing knowledge about personal and business growth while learning about their perceptions, beliefs, and paradigms. This experience shaped me as an entrepreneur, granting me global exposure as a trainer, consultant, and eventually national coordinator for entrepreneurship development for Black youth in South Africa.

But the no fit narrative had more facets than financial. During that time in my life, amidst many shifts, my marriage ended—along with many other relationships with friends and family.

No fit? Olivia may have been prescient as to my direction. From that day on, I started paying attention to this no fit feature of my life.

Friends would ask me with a mixture of fascination and concern: Nico, what do you do for a living? How do you earn money?

For that I have no simple answer, I’d think. I lived by the principle that a meaningful, exciting experience was more critical than profit or income. Maybe that’s why I responded to a job advertisement back in 1994, one that promised to pay poorly (and kept that promise) but offered other intangible rewards. Like fulfillment. Perhaps my friends would have understood if I highlighted the self-designed job description:

Do you love to challenge mindsets and status quo thinking?

Are you passionate about South African culture, continuous learning, and world travel?

Are you ready to grow spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually in ways you’ve never imagined?

Are you willing to put yourself at risk in pursuit of a meaningful cause?

If you are ready to accept this challenge and opportunity of a lifetime, inquire within.

I accepted the offered terms and never looked back.

Olivia was correct. I am a no fit. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Since taking that job in 1994, I have traveled the globe—learning from academics or thought leaders such as neuroscientists, astrophysicists, philosophers, linguists, social scientists, social innovators, social activists, reformers, entrepreneurs, theologians, spiritualists, and others. I finished my PhD—focused on the pilgrimage concept of the Camino de Santiago, a large network of ancient pilgrim routes in Europe that join at the tomb of St. James at the Santiago Cathedral in Spain—and took my own pilgrimage along its five-hundred-mile trail.

Over time, my role expanded to include the phrase other duties as assigned. I treat each new objective as a sacred duty.

Also, over time, mostly without realizing it, I’d developed what I would call an entrepreneurial mindset—more socially than business oriented. This was a mindset which I came to believe was the missing link in my beloved country—including a combination of entrepreneurship principles, neuroscience, and spirituality. It was more inclusive than anything else, and it created a certain sensitivity or awareness of the value of pilgrimage.

I then started to pick up wisdom along the road, as in the words of Maya Angelou, You only are free when you realize you belong no place—you belong every place—no place at all. Without any formal decision-making, I later had to admit to myself that this approach had become my narrative.

The Long Walk, one of my most solemn obligations and the topic of this book, involved a 1,708-mile journey across South Africa to address poverty, unemployment, and inequality.

(And if that doesn’t intrigue you enough, perhaps you will read on to discover how my commitment to the Long Walk was at least partially inspired by my unusual experience with an owl, on a day I’d come to call Owl Day. You will see how these seemingly small moments became pivotal.)

As I visited the vast underserved areas of my native South Africa, the Black townships, I hoped to inspire the youth of this nation—bringing business tools, motivation, and a new mindset—while instilling and fueling their passion for entrepreneurship.

Later, I’d discover that this same hope is needed across the globe, as countries such as the United States search for solutions to similar challenges. But this story is about the Long Walk in South Africa, and the movement it inspired.

Let me make my intention clear once and for all, to clarify the mystical part of the Long Walk project. I wanted to do something meaningful, to create an alternative approach and explore what could be revealed of the social-entrepreneurial spirit in South Africa. All I knew before the walk was that the current strategy was not effective. Many facts and figures confirmed this. We needed to rethink our strategy with a critical-analytical thinking methodology.

With no indicators, guidelines, perceptions, pre-knowledge, boundaries, personal interest, or security, I wanted to explore for research purposes and see what presented itself. The best analogy I could come up with is captured in the book about the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman: The Road to Freedom, or the movie called Harriet. The story is about an escape route for slaves from the South. One may also find an analogy with the most amazing stories of escape from WWII concentration camps, or something similar. Once poverty or inequality can be seen in this way, it can unleash creativity and enthusiasm at a different level.

You are just trying to be the White Jesus, some critics derided me.

Others said, If you get murdered along the way, don’t expect to be revered as a martyr.

Wait a minute! Murdered? I thought the first time someone suggested that the Long Walk would surely get me killed.

As it turned out, they were nearly right….

1

AND SO IT BEGINS

April 16, 1966—Warden, Free State, South Africa

What does that mean? I asked my grandmother when she said I possessed great intuition.

It means, my dear Nico, she said smiling broadly, you should always follow your nose.

At just six-years-old, I knew that a wild animal would use its nose to hunt, find water, and sense danger, and I was certain that my grandmother wasn’t telling me to survive in the wild armed only with my nose. I understood what she meant: I should trust my instincts.

And I have been following my nose to survive ever since.

January 5, 2020—Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ, USA

As I sat down to write No Fit about my Long Walk, I grew stymied about how to begin. If you’ve written a book, you understand. The opening chapter sets the direction for the entire book. Get it wrong, people stop reading. Get it right, and people might continue.

No pressure, I thought as I looked for inspiration.

That’s when I stumbled upon an article about South Africa. "Gold, diamonds, and platinum remain South Africa’s richest natural resources, the economist author wrote, using words to that effect. I shook my head in disagreement.

"You haven’t seen what I’ve seen," I said, shaking my finger at the paper, as if the author were present. Those physical resources will soon be depleted.

As I sat with my finger still wagging at the print, two thoughts popped into my head. First, I wondered if my time in isolation due to COVID-19 had finally pushed me over the edge of sanity into someplace, well, less sane. Second, I wondered if I’d just found my inspiration.

I believe that Nelson Mandela’s legacy serves as the most valuable, far-reaching asset that South Africa shares with the world, I typed. After rereading, I felt satisfied with a stunning start—and was ready for bed.

After all, my belief in the value and legacy of Nelson Mandela had

Reviews for No Fit

[karin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A must read to understand the complexity of the history of SA and diversity and challenges of the South African youth. An inspiration for everyone on how to make true open connections and try to understand challenges. Nico did a unique walk to meet the youth in their safe space and to be open for the stories of other. A fundament to engage with the other and to create space for a new mind set. If we open up and take the extra mile to meet the other we can see the beauty and actions that are taken by many and that deserve more attention, more support and are needed for real bottom up change.