Jacques Prinsloo and CANSA Project 83

Jacques Prinsloo was introduced to Race Walking by the Race Walking legend, Piet Meyer whom at one stage held every Race Walking record in South Africa. Jacques excelled and held the SA junior records for both the 5000m on track and the 10 000m on the road.

Jacques was born in Vanderbijlpark and went to school in Potchefstroom where he excelled in sport receiving provincial colours for both athletics and Judo.

After finishing school Jacques enlisted with the South African Defence Force and during this time started road running. 

He went on to study Mechanical Engineering and worked on the coal mines of Mpumalanga at the Koornfontein Mine.

Working at the same mine and running for the same running club was Josia Thogwane, Jacques’ team mate, who became the 1996 Olympic marathon winner.  Jacques completed the Comrades Marathon four times, ran three 100 miler races and completed the 1000 km challenge four times amongst a host of others.

In 2010 Jacques left the country and stayed in Egypt until he was deported for evangelism which was illegal in Egypt.  Jacques is a born again Christian and is passionate about his faith.

In 2012 Jacques came to Rustenburg and became involved in various small projects to try and alleviate the plight of people in need.

To me, the single most important thing this country and especially Rustenburg need is people with compassion.”

After having lost various family members and friends to cancer,  Jacques combined his talent for sport, his need for challenge and his compassion for people and got involved with the Cancer Association of South Africa and started this very special project in March 2015 when Jacques walked 83km overnight to raise funds for CANSA Relay For Life Rustenburg..

Jacques has taken up the challenge and will be walking again at CANSA Relay For Life Corporate in Pretoria, in September this year. He challenges all corporates, family and friends who have experienced, or can imagine the hardships and the strength it takes to fight this disease, to support him by making a donation to Project 83.

Through this project he strives to get people’s attention focused on:

• Raising awareness on the prevention of cancer, as well as the Cancer Association of South Africa
• The plight and needs of cancer patients
• The ordeals of cancer survivors

To keep up to date with the progress of this project, follow CANSA on Facebook or Twitter.

Jacques has three daughters of whom two also stay in Rustenburg and they are extremely supportive of his efforts.  He owns a home maintenance and construction company and enjoys photography.  While working abroad he traveled and visited 14 countries in Africa, 2 in Europe and 2 in the Middle East. He admits that while Israel is the favourite of the countries he visited, that being South African means there are not many places like home.

When asked what Jacques thinks of Rustenburg: “I like Rustenburg.  I think it has a lot of potential for growth but we as South Africans need to stop this hatred and fighting among ourselves.  Instead we need to take hands and start caring.  Caring for our families, caring for our communities, caring about our natural resources and caring about the way the outside world perceives us and our country.”

This is one very inspirational Rustenburg personality indeed.  We wish Jacques all the best and support from the Rustenburg community.