The main objective of #TheMascotMarathon is to raise R100,000 on BackaBuddy to fund environmental literacy for 1,000 primary school learners in Cape Town public primary schools.
Research shows that land-based plastic litter washes ashore near local river mouths, causing severe damage to marine ecosystems. Rather than endlessly picking up trash without addressing human habits, Captain Fanplastic aims to stop pollution at the source through experiential education. The BackaBuddy funds will directly equip local schools with educational storybooks, DIY Cleanup Kits, and environmental teaching materials that turn learners into 'Plastic Pirates' committed to protecting the oceans.
Starting at 8am at Monwabisi Beach, and concluding at Bloubergstrand at 3pm, Ruben will visit active cleanup sites across the Atlantic Seaboard and False Bay. Members of the public, families, and businesses can follow the marathon live on Strava and social media, and support the campaign by donating directly to the BackaBuddy page.
"International Coastal Cleanup Day should not exist forever," said Ruben Hazelzet, founder of Captain Fanplastic. "Cleaning the coast without changing human behaviour means we will clean the same shores endlessly. By taking to 10 beaches in full suit, we want to celebrate active volunteers while encouraging the public to back our campaign so we can educate 1,000 children to stop plastic before it ever reaches the water."
Supporters can back the Captain on BackaBuddy by sponsoring individual learners (R50 per comic book) or funding full school DIY Cleanup Kits (R9,500). Corporate sponsors can also back school modules starting from R5,000. All donations qualify for a SARS Section 18A tax exemption certificate. Every donation on BackaBuddy brings a child into our environmental literacy programme and invests in a cleaner future for South Africa.
The 10-beach route schedule (19 September 2026):
