Latest news with #InternationalNelsonMandelaDay
IOL News
a day ago
- General
- IOL News
Mandela Day: Old age home thanks Big Save, Pretoria News for making 'big, big difference'
On Mandela Day, Pretoria News and Big Save joined forces to uplift the elderly residents of Mamelodi Old Age Home, donating food hampers and spreading kindness in honour of Nelson Mandela's legacy. The leadership of Pretoria News and Big Save believe that everyone deserves a good life and that every act of kindness – big or small – counts during this Mandela Month and beyond. The two brands, both rooted in the communities they serve in the Tshwane region, demonstrated this when they joined hands to celebrate this year's International Nelson Mandela Day on Friday with the residents of the Mamelodi Old Age Home in Mamelodi East, Pretoria. Pretoria News and retail partner Big Save donated 67 food hampers to the old age home. The outreach function on Friday was a heartfelt gesture to honour the late former president. Mandela Day, commemorated annually on July 18, encourages South Africans and the world to dedicate their time to acts of kindness, reflecting on Mandela's 67 years of service to the nation. In that spirit, Pretoria News and Big Save stepped in with practical support offering not only food but dignity and care to senior citizens often overlooked. The Mamelodi Old Age Home houses 56 elderly residents aged 60 and above, many of whom rely on limited government grants and small family contributions to make ends meet. The 67 food parcels were each packed with 12.5kg maize meal, samp, salt, sugar, tea, and Kellogg's Corn Flakes will go a long way in easing their burdens.
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The Citizen
3 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
#MandelaDay2025: [VIDEO] Boksburg honours Madiba with acts of kindness
Businesses, charity organisations, Ward 32 Clr Marius des Vos and other individuals in Boksburg joined forces to participate in a series of acts of kindness to celebrate the life and work of the global icon, the late Nelson Mandela. This as the world marks International Nelson Mandela Day under the theme 'It's still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity'. Boksburg Civic Centre At the Boksburg Civic Centre, various local businesses converged on the lawn where they, in celebration of Mandela Day, handed out thousands of hot dogs, fruits and snack packs with sweets and other treats to thousands of the needy and vulnerable members of the community. Beneficiaries received more than just food. They were also treated to an uplifting live performance by a local saxophonist throughout the about four-hour-long event. According to one of the event organisers, Aida's Denver Ramnath, they fed approximately 3 000 people with more than 5 000 hot dogs, sweets, fruits and soft drinks from the various local businesses. 'We just want to thank the local businesses that contributed to the success of today, taking time out of their busy schedule to feed the less fortunate than us in the community. This is our annual event, and every year the initiative gets bigger. Businesses are committed to making it a success, as it is just our small way of giving back to the community on Mandela Day. 'It's heartwarming to see smiles, especially the children's faces as they receive and enjoy their food.' Why Mandela Day matters 'We are doing this because Madiba's life and work left an indelible mark on us as society, and these heartfelt gestures are our small way to show gratefulness.' Around the world, organisations and individuals are dedicating at least 67 minutes of their time to uplift communities, reflecting the 67 years the first black president spent in jail as well as his contribution to the struggle for democracy. Also Read: #MandelaMonth: Tell us what's on your mind At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
4 days ago
- General
South African cooks join forces to make 67,000 liters of soup to fight hunger on Mandela Day
JOHANNESBURG -- Dozens of South African chefs, community cooks, caterers, and culinary students joined forces Friday in Johannesburg to make 67,000 liters (17,700 gallons) of soup to feed the hungry, in celebration of Nelson Mandela Day. First officially recognized by the United Nations in 2009, International Nelson Mandela Day encourages people to commemorate the birthday and legacy of South Africa's first Black president by volunteering for 67 minutes, which is equivalent to his 67 years of public service. To mark the birthday of South Africa's former head of state, who was born in 1918, cooks all over the country made soup in their own kitchens to contribute toward reaching the target. At the Johannesburg-based HTA School of Culinary Arts, cooks chopped vegetables, added legumes and sprinkled in a kaleidoscope of seasonings to make hearty soups. They braised their broths from early morning until 5:30 p.m., when the final soup tally began. 'The 67,000 liters, it's our take on 67 minutes,' said executive chef and chairman of NGO Chefs with Compassion, James Khoza. 'I did a lentil soup with vegetables and a bit of chicken pieces inside. It's not your normal kind of soup where you boil everything, then you make the soup out of it. For me, I look at flavor and is it quality as well. 'I know the guys are on the streets sometimes, or the beneficiaries, people tend to just give them whatever they feel like giving, but .... guys like us who come from hotel business, we understand that what we must feed people must be of that level, highest quality, that they feel like they are worthy because indeed they are worthy, " he added. Every year, South Africans volunteer their time on July 18, cleaning up public spaces, helping at schools or hospitals, or performing humanitarian work and making donations. For Chefs with Compassion, a non-profit organization that works to combat hunger and food waste, the food drive is 'a war against throwing away food and wasteful cooking,' Khoza says. This year marks the sixth consecutive year that they've rescued excess food from farmers and shops that would otherwise have been thrown out. Instead, the chefs use it to make large quantities of soup to offer to the thousands of Johannesburg residents who are food insecure. As part of her school's effort to add 300 liters of soup to the 67,000 liters that the collective aims for, Tyra Nyakudya, an 18-year-old college student, spent most of the day cutting vegetables and monitoring the soup pots. Although she was only six years old when the statesman passed away in 2013, she said his legacy of compassion and service remain in the memory because 'he did everything in his power to give back to the community, which is why we're doing this today.' South Africa is among Africa's leading food producers, but the 2024 National Food and Nutrition Security Survey (NFNSS) report found that 63.5% of South African households were food insecure, which translates to over 20 million people going without food every day and about 10.3 million tons of food being wasted annually. This is primarily driven by poverty, unemployment, and rising food prices, which are exacerbated by factors such as climate change and inequality. Hanneke Van Linge, head of Nosh Food Rescue, said the figures illustrated that food waste and food surplus is a huge problem, which should concern citizens every day. 'There's a lot of beautiful energy around Mandela Day specifically," she said. 'But we would like to implore people, don't just let your involvement stay on Mandela Day.'
The Hill
4 days ago
- General
- The Hill
South African cooks join forces to make 67,000 liters of soup to fight hunger on Mandela Day
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Dozens of South African chefs, community cooks, caterers, and culinary students joined forces Friday in Johannesburg to make 67,000 liters (17,700 gallons) of soup to feed the hungry, in celebration of Nelson Mandela Day. First officially recognized by the United Nations in 2009, International Nelson Mandela Day encourages people to commemorate the birthday and legacy of South Africa's first Black president by volunteering for 67 minutes, which is equivalent to his 67 years of public service. To mark the birthday of South Africa's former head of state, who was born in 1918, cooks all over the country made soup in their own kitchens to contribute toward reaching the target. At the Johannesburg-based HTA School of Culinary Arts, cooks chopped vegetables, added legumes and sprinkled in a kaleidoscope of seasonings to make hearty soups. They braised their broths from early morning until 5:30 p.m., when the final soup tally began. 'The 67,000 liters, it's our take on 67 minutes,' said executive chef and chairman of NGO Chefs with Compassion, James Khoza. 'I did a lentil soup with vegetables and a bit of chicken pieces inside. It's not your normal kind of soup where you boil everything, then you make the soup out of it. For me, I look at flavor and is it quality as well. 'I know the guys are on the streets sometimes, or the beneficiaries, people tend to just give them whatever they feel like giving, but …. guys like us who come from hotel business, we understand that what we must feed people must be of that level, highest quality, that they feel like they are worthy because indeed they are worthy, ' he added. Every year, South Africans volunteer their time on July 18, cleaning up public spaces, helping at schools or hospitals, or performing humanitarian work and making donations. For Chefs with Compassion, a non-profit organization that works to combat hunger and food waste, the food drive is 'a war against throwing away food and wasteful cooking,' Khoza says. This year marks the sixth consecutive year that they've rescued excess food from farmers and shops that would otherwise have been thrown out. Instead, the chefs use it to make large quantities of soup to offer to the thousands of Johannesburg residents who are food insecure. As part of her school's effort to add 300 liters of soup to the 67,000 liters that the collective aims for, Tyra Nyakudya, an 18-year-old college student, spent most of the day cutting vegetables and monitoring the soup pots. Although she was only six years old when the statesman passed away in 2013, she said his legacy of compassion and service remain in the memory because 'he did everything in his power to give back to the community, which is why we're doing this today.' South Africa is among Africa's leading food producers, but the 2024 National Food and Nutrition Security Survey (NFNSS) report found that 63.5% of South African households were food insecure, which translates to over 20 million people going without food every day and about 10.3 million tons of food being wasted annually. This is primarily driven by poverty, unemployment, and rising food prices, which are exacerbated by factors such as climate change and inequality. Hanneke Van Linge, head of Nosh Food Rescue, said the figures illustrated that food waste and food surplus is a huge problem, which should concern citizens every day. 'There's a lot of beautiful energy around Mandela Day specifically,' she said. 'But we would like to implore people, don't just let your involvement stay on Mandela Day.'
Toronto Star
4 days ago
- General
- Toronto Star
South African cooks join forces to make 67,000 liters of soup to fight hunger on Mandela Day
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Dozens of South African chefs, community cooks, caterers, and culinary students joined forces Friday in Johannesburg to make 67,000 liters (17,700 gallons) of soup to feed the hungry, in celebration of Nelson Mandela Day. First officially recognized by the United Nations in 2009, International Nelson Mandela Day encourages people to commemorate the birthday and legacy of South Africa's first Black president by volunteering for 67 minutes, which is equivalent to his 67 years of public service.
