Celebrating recovery: Inspiring stories from the Recovery Walk Cape Town

Part of recovery is sharing your story - your challenges and successes - in realising what you have survived.

These were the messages shared at the 11th annual Recovery Walk Cape Town (RWCT) 2025, from Central Methodist Mission, on Greenmarket Square, to the national parliament, on Plein Street in Cape Town, on Saturday, October 17.

Supporters and those recovering from addiction and mental illness handed a memorandum to mayoral committee member for community services and health Francine Higham, also councillor for Ward 77.

Guest speaker Buhle Maseko-MacArthur, from Plumstead, who has attention-deficit or hyperactivity disorder, a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, said that she battled coming to terms with her diagnosis until she shared her condition.

She said it helped not having to hide her mental illness and be able to share the load.

"I was struggling because I did not want to tell people," she said. 

Ms Maseko-MacArthur stated that sharing in small ways with her loved ones began to relieve the pressure

"This is how I am actively trying to navigate life, and when I am not coping. It opened my life to become a better support for myself and others," she said.

She said that when she shared her stories, other people shared their stories, and she could then realise "I'm not struggling alone, or they would say I'm also struggling".

Ms Maseko-MacArthur said her family members could also open up and say that there were things they were struggling with and what they did to help cope.

"It has helped me learn more about the people I care about and has helped them unlock a better way of living for themselves," she said. 

The walk is an open movement, including people in recovery, families, professionals, and allies celebrating all forms of recovery from addiction and other mental illnesses. 

In addition to a symbolic walk through the streets of Cape Town, attendees of this event can enjoy a range of activities, including guest speeches, open-mic sessions, sports, and creative workshops. 

It is held in September, in honour of celebrating recovery, and or in October, which is dedicated to mental health. 

Warren Cornelius, co-organiser of the walk, said that recovery was about "thriving, being better than just ok".

He handed the memorandum to Ms Higham, who assured the walkers it would be heeded. It calls for recovery to be visible, celebrated, and supported across the province, noting that recovery remains an underutilised resource.

"By endorsing, supporting and amplifying this movement, the Western Cape government and the City of Cape Town can transform recovery from a personal journey into a public celebration that strengthens health systems, families, communities and positively shapes the national culture," it read.

Another speaker Gakeema Solomons, from Manenberg, said a "higher power" had sent people into her life, despite relapsing several times. 

She has not had a drink or drug since May 2017. 

Ms Solomons said she had survived a painful ordeal, which she could not deal with, and turned to substance abuse to avoid it.

In her recent eight years of being sober, she turned to social media to read, see, and share recovery stories. 

She said that the online community had helped her to stay motivated.

"Just for today, I'm recovering out loud. So, no addict needs to suffer in silence and die of this disease," she said. 

Recovery Walk Cape Town founding member Jenny Chadwick said: "We support recovery and celebrate all pathways to recovery. We support people in recovery".