A 32-year-old man from Casablanca, Morocco has cycled an astonishing 22 000 km to SA, only for his bicycle to be stolen in South Africa.
Yassine Ghallam began his mission to cycle through the whole of Africa in January 2017, with the intention to write a book about his adventures.
Ghallam hit a speed bump after he arrived in SA, when his bicycle - affectionately named Mama Africa - was stolen outside a mosque, in Jeffreys Bay, last Friday.
"I love South Africa because it is very beautiful, but it is very dangerous. I locked my bicycle outside the mosque and 10 minutes later it was gone," he said.
"In Morocco, I cycle at night - something you can't do in South Africa. Mama Africa is not a normal bicycle, she's like my wife. When I cycle at night it's just me, the stars and my bicycle."
The adventurer, who started his journey with no money in his pocket, is relying on the kindness of strangers and a radio station to raise funds for a new bicycle.
He plans on cycling from Jeffrey's Bay next week to his final South African destination - Cape Town.
"This has always been my goal. After this, I plan on flying to Madagascar and Seychelles," Ghallam said.
Police spokesperson Captain Gerda Swart said that no case of theft has been reported at the local Jeffreys Bay police station. However she encouraged people with any information to come forward.
