Cape Town - Chaos erupted at the V&A Waterfront on Monday when former Springbok captain and SuperSport presenter, Bob Skinstad, was arrested.

Journalists at the venue were quick to react, grabbing their tape recorders as they started firing questions at the two armed policemen who handcuffed Skinstad and escorted him into a police van. 

The commanding officer refused to comment as to the exact charges, except to say “Mr Skinstad cannot be giving out free school shoes to children. Just imagine if every child thinks they should now have a pair of school shoes. And for free. What would happen? There would be dancing in the streets and that is not right. ”

An anonymous rugby fan in his late 40s, who was passing by at the time said, “I was shocked. Just the other day I was watching Bob on TV thinking what a likeable, decent guy he is and then I see him being dragged off in handcuffs by the police. It was terrible to see.”

It has since emerged that Skinstad, who prefers to be called Bob, is being charged with a “positivity” crime - using the media to raise awareness for the millions of schoolchildren who are subjected to the daily pain and humiliation of having to go to school without school shoes.  In fact, in most cases, children who do not have uniform or shoes do not attend school.

Says Bob: “What child wants to go to school when they know they will be teased, when they know that they will stand out? I believe every child has the right to own a pair of school shoes because it’s an important step in giving children a sense of pride and dignity, thus enhancing the child’s education.” 

Determined to “walk the talk”, Bob started the “bobsforgood foundation” along with his good friend, Ron Rutland. The foundation is driven by a single concept – to put shoes on the seven million children in South Africa that do not have shoes. Bob is fully committed in providing beneficiaries with shoes made in South African, by South African women who were once disadvantaged themselves. It’s about supporting everything that is South African. It’s a win-win situation for children and our economy.

So serious is Bob about this issue, that he is willing to “go to jail” for the cause.

Over the next five days, Bob will be housed in a constricted jail cell at the V&A Waterfront’s Barrow Court in the shopping mall. He will be released from jail on February 20 when the next leg of his awareness campaign - Walk This Way - will begin. 

Bob and his team will Walk This Way to nine key towns in the Western Cape and aim to provide over 5 000 shoes to underprivileged kids from pre-selected schools. The entire campaign is fully endorsed by Donald Grant, MEC Education, whose department helped the campaign organisers ensure they benefitted the neediest schools.

Bobs urges everyone to come to the Waterfront, have lots of fun, enjoy the event and support bobsforgood, saying, “If we all do our bit, no matter how small, I believe we can create a better South Africa - one step at a time.” Your donation can make a massive difference in a child’s life.

Visit www.bobsforgoodfoundation.org and donate online

Visit him in the V&A Waterfront's Barrow Court from the 15th to the 20th of February where you can make a pledge to Bob

The public can give Bob's team a call on 0861 00 BOBS

Or to send an EFT, Bob's foundation bank account is called 'bobsforgood'
Standard Bank Mowbray
Branch No: 024909
Account No: 075 221 381


Arrested (File)


Jailed (File)