Latest news with #NelsonRolihlahlaMandela
The Citizen
3 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
WATCH: Here is how Albertonians celebrated and honoured Mandela Day
WATCH: Here is how Albertonians celebrated and honoured Mandela Day The United Nations General Assembly's 42nd plenary session met on November 10, 2009, in New York to consider calls from the 46664 concerts and the Nelson Mandela Foundation to officially recognise International Mandela Day. In adopting the resolution, the Assembly stated: 'The long history of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela's leading role in and support for Africa's struggle for liberation and Africa's unity, and his outstanding contribution to the creation of a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic South Africa, the Assembly decides to designate July 18 as Nelson Mandela International Day, to be observed each year beginning in 2010.' Since then, billions around the world honour Mandela Day by committing to 67 minutes of public good in recognition of Nelson Mandela's 67 years of fighting for social justice. 'We would be honoured if such a day can serve to bring people together around the world to fight poverty and promote peace, reconciliation and cultural diversity,' reads a statement issued on Mandela's behalf. Mandela Day is not an international public holiday but a day to honour the legacy and values of South Africa's former president through volunteering and community service. On July 18, residents of Alberton, including local businesses, schools, faith and welfare groups, and other public organisations, celebrated by doing their part to observe Mandela's 67 years of service to humanity. From blanket donations and mobile soup kitchens to caring for the elderly and providing food to those in need, Alberton's spirit of humanity was on full display. The Alberton Record was there to capture these heartwarming moments.
The Citizen
21-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Sasol in Sasolburg celebrates International Mandela Day
SASOLBURG – Honouring the legacy of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, Sasol mobilised employees around the world on Thursday, July 17, to give their time, talents and resources to personally contribute to International Mandela Day through the company's internal social impact programme, Sasol for Good. In Sasolburg more than 200 volunteers from Sasol's Sasolburg and Natref Operations as well as Mining participated in the drive themed 'Bridging the Gap, Nourishing Communities' and packed 1 028 boxes, each filled with red speckled beans, split peas, tinned fish, soya mince, maize meal, samp, rice, tea, tea creamer, soup powder, vitadrink, immunomeal, brown sugar and cooking oil. The packed boxes were distributed to more than 25 NPOs that serve people living with disabilities, gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) as well as shelters operating in Metsimaholo and Ngwathe local municipalities. Sasol's Regional Operations and Assets Services also handed over food, clothing and items donated by employees to the Youth Care Centres for boys and girls in Sasolburg. This year marks 10 years of Sasol for Good. To date, over 170 organisations have benefited from the generosity of Sasol employees, who have collectively donated more than R7 million over the past decade. Sasol has matched these contributions with an additional R6 million, resulting in a total of R13 million directed to non-profit organisations over the past 10 years. To harness the growing momentum of community centred goodwill, Sasol introduced five days or 40 hours of paid employee volunteer leave in 2016 – designed to capitalise on this spirit of doing good. The Sasol for Good initiative continues to empower employees to contribute their time, skills and in-kind support to causes aligned with their personal values. While Sasol evolved over the past decade, the company's commitment to philanthropy endures, particularly through initiatives such as annual International Nelson Mandela Day. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Daily Maverick
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
We must honour Mandela by fighting the corruption in the heart of our democracy
Mandela was a lover and a fighter, a symbol of struggle against oppression and a champion of peace and forgiveness. His bravery in standing up against the evil empire is our bravery. His hope and humour and humanity are ours. It's in us and up to us to stand up against those in Mandela's party, and indeed any political party, who choose to rob us blind. Every year we celebrate Mandela Day on 18 July. It's a global campaign to honour the remarkable life and legacy of the founding father of our democracy, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. The Nelson Mandela Foundation turned Madiba's birthday into a call to action for individuals, communities and organisations, urging them to take time to reflect on Mandela's values and principles and make a positive impact in their own communities. I will never forget the warm, fuzzy feeling I felt when I stood shoulder to shoulder with thousands of people on the Grand Parade in Cape Town in 1990 as Mandela stepped on to the balcony of City Hall and said to all of us: 'I come to you as your servant.' It was the humility and dignity of this stately yet grandfatherly man; it was hearing a voice that had been banned for 27 years speak to our hearts; it was the realisation and the sense of relief that the years of campaigning against apartheid and inequality, risking jail and police batons and death, might just have been worth it. That we may have succeeded in toppling the evil empire of racism, exclusion and violence. And that maybe, just maybe, we could live in freedom. There are many of Mandela's heirs in the ANC and its political party offshoots like the MK party, formed as comrades turned on each other for their time to 'eat', and who have done nothing to build on the tremendous goodwill that we, the South African people, have granted them. The recent allegations by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi that a drug cartel based in Gauteng was controlling a high-level criminal syndicate that has the Police Ministry, politicians, prosecutors and judges in its pockets, came as no surprise. Because ever since 1994, more and more comrades have been in cahoots with criminals and gangsters, buying favours and seats at the table. Rot and Cancer We had former police commissioner Jackie Selebi's dalliance with his drug dealer friend, 'finish and klaar' Glenn Agliotti. And the rot and cancer has spread far and wide. The Guptas landed with their bums in bucket-loads of ghee when Jacob Zuma led his family, friends and the ANC into Saxonwold. Judge Raymond Zondo's State Capture chronicles feature a long list of ANC comrades whose fingers were in the trough. Criminality has stretched its tentacles all over the ANC at every centre of government, from local, provincial and national level to parastatals across the country. And when the ANC gets voted out, the criminals find politicians in other parties to cosy up to. It has come to the point where it is hard to trust any politician. We do not know which lobbyist or foreign agency or wealthy person is behind them. Our democracy is a marketplace where favours and influence are sold to the highest bidder. And global druglords who peddle poison to our youth have found ripe pickings in this country that gave Mandela to us and the world. Mandela was a human born of a different era. Our son of the South African soil arrived on 18 July 1918, deep in the era of the colonial conquest that saw the land of indigenous people taken by the minions of the Dutch East India Company and footsoldiers of the British Empire who distributed it to white settler populations. Mandela was a freedom fighter, a leader of the ANC who started the armed struggle and Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) when peaceful protest against apartheid was met with violence. He and his fellow Rivonia triallists' incarceration in the 1960s did not silence their resistance to the apartheid state. Nor could it silence generation after generation of South Africans, from Steve Biko and the Black Consciousness movement to the trade union movement, United Democratic Front, Mass Democratic Movement, Black Sash, Lawyers for Human Rights, Detainees' Parents Support Committee… and ordinary South Africans who stood up, fists clenched against what was wrong. Biko was a proponent of the Black Consciousness philosophy that emphasised the importance of black people freeing ourselves psychologically from the internalised effects of oppression. He urged us to embrace our own identity and take control of our own liberation. For his promotion of self-reliance and resistance to the notion that black people are inferior to white people, he was arrested and murdered in detention. There were others. Millions of others. They belonged to women's groups, churches, temples, artist groups. There were resistance organisations like the New Unity Movement, the Azanian People's Organisation and the Pan-Africanist Congress. Not just the ANC. Not just Mandela. Global icon What drew the world to Mandela and turned him into a global icon was that even though he was a freedom fighter who started MK, he didn't leave Robben Island to sing 'Kill the Boer, kill the farmer' at every opportunity, as ANC protégé and EFF leader Julius Malema does. Nor did he take to every political rally singing Umshini Wami (Bring Me My Machine Gun), as Jacob Zuma does. Mandela was a lover and a fighter, a symbol of struggle against oppression and a champion of peace and forgiveness. His long imprisonment created a powerful narrative of personal sacrifice that humanised the anti-apartheid struggle. On 18 July, and every day, many South Africans give 67 minutes of their time and more to do good — helping others, cleaning cities, caring for neglected children, raising funds for charitable causes in memory of the spirit of Mandela. We are a nation of generous, kind, warm-hearted, freedom-loving people. It is our spirit of resilience and generosity that created Mandela. His bravery in standing up against the evil empire is our bravery. His hope and humour and humanity are ours. It's in us and up to us to stand up against those in Mandela's party, and indeed any political party, who choose to rob us blind. There are no saviours coming to rescue us. In us resides the ability to build the kind of country we deserve. We stand on the shoulders of generations of giants who fought for freedom. It's our turn now. DM
The Citizen
16-07-2025
- General
- The Citizen
How you can spend your Mandela Day
How you can spend your Mandela Day WITH Mandela Day around the corner, several community groups and NPOs have planned their contribution to the global event, which came about to honour the life and legacy of global icon and former president of South Africa, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, annually on July 18. Also read: 15 ways to make a difference on Mandela Day Mandela Day serves as a call to action for individuals, communities, organisations and even businesses to take the time to reflect on Mandela's values and principles, and to bring about positive change and impact in their communities. Often, Mandela Day programmes, events or initiatives go on for 67 minutes, to signify the 67 years the former president dedicated to public service and activism. How you can spend Mandela Day: Cleaning up the Amanzimtoti Sports Centre In preparation for the Amanzimtoti Athletics Club's Cross Country League, Clean Surf Project (CSP) and Sapphire Coast Tourism will spend 67 minutes doing community work to ensure athletes enjoy a scenic, litter-free course. Romy Wenzel of the CSP invited the community to join the clean-up drive to help make the surrounding area cleaner and greener. It will take place from 09:00 until 11:00, and refuse bags will be supplied. Bring along gloves, shoes and water. For more information contact Romy Wenzel on 083 733 6468 or Warren Gibson on 082 713 0305. Fun, games and painting NPO welcomes the community to its centre in Ezimangweni for its exciting Mandela Day upliftment project. The projects for the day include: Feeding little ones with 300 scrumptious peanut butter and jam sandwiches. Engaging with the children in arts and crafts, reading and games. The painting of the NPO's container offices. Sponsors, including Anchor Yeast, Cedar Hill Church, Krupa Foundation and Friends of Usizo-Lomndeni, will participate and contribute, and the NPO hopes the surrounding community will come on board as well for a delightful Mandela Day. It will commence at 09:00 and conclude at around 12:00. Amanzimtoti SPCA – 'Walk the Dogs' volunteering On Mandela Day, SPCA Amanzimtoti invites volunteers to spend 67 minutes walking and caring for rescue dogs. Anyone can also choose to donate R67 or 67 items of food. Amanzimtoti SPCA said Nelson Mandela was known to be a champion of animal welfare and conservation, even serving as a patron for animal welfare organisations. He also had a strong connection with his dog, Gompo, a Rhodesian Ridgeback. Furthermore, his compassion extended to wildlife, as he was instrumental in facilitating animal migration routes in Africa. One can volunteer at SPCA Amanzimtoti all day in honour of Madiba's legacy. For more South Coast Sun news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and get news delivered straight to your inbox. Do you have more information pertaining to this story? Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
08-07-2025
- General
- IOL News
Transforming Mandela Day 2025 into lasting impact for 67 gogos
'What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived; it is what difference we have made to the lives of others...' – Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. This Mandela Day serves as an opportunity to share the wisdom of generations while fostering a culture of respect, dignity, and support for elders. It aims to be a rallying cry for compassion, action, and enduring change that extends beyond a single day. As Mandela Day on July 18, approaches, Relate Bracelets and Ikamva Labantu highlight a transformative initiative that aims to create lasting change for the often-overlooked elders in the townships. The 'Mandela Day 2025 - 67 Gogos' initiative, spearheaded by Ikamva Labantu in partnership with Relate Bracelets, is dedicated to uplifting the lives of grandmothers who serve as the backbone of many families and communities. This year, as the community comes together to bead bracelets and share the rich stories and lessons of Nelson Mandela, they are not just honouring his legacy but they are taking significant steps towards addressing the financial struggles and emotional burdens faced by older women in society. With research indicating a concerning rise in elder financial abuse, this initiative is more critical than ever. The 'Mandela Day 2025 – 67 Gogos' initiative is calling for change that endures long after the day is done. Ikamva Labantu and Relate Bracelets have partnered to create a day to raise awareness and funds to change the lives of elders in townships. Participants on July 18 will join a group of Ikamva Labantu's 'Gogos' (grandmothers) for 67 minutes to bead bracelets while sharing stories and memories of Nelson Mandela. Older women in townships often care for children and grandchildren due to a high unemployment rate. Their limited monthly pension of just over R2300 is insufficient to cover a family's basic living costs. Ikamva Labantu's recently published independent study on elder abuse in Cape Town's townships, found elderly women are at greater risk of financial abuse. Their pensions are exploited by their own children and grandchildren, and they carry unwanted parental burden for young grandchildren. This results in older women being more impoverished. Ikamva Labantu's Senior Clubs provide essential healthcare, nutrition, as well as legal and social support. Relate Bracelets has been partnering since 2011 to provide seniors with the chance to augment their pension by beading cause-related bracelets at Ikamva Labantu's Senior Clubs. Finally, Ikamva Labantu provides bedridden older adults with access to homecare services, rehabilitation assistance, as well as assistive and mobility devices. Ishrene Davids, Director of Ikamva Labantu, says: 'Older people fought in Apartheid to ensure a better future for the next generation, but many of them do not possess the equality and human rights they fought for. Our older people are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Ikamva Labantu works with the community to provide essential services and empowers elders who may otherwise be isolated and face abuse.' 'This Mandela Day we are raising awareness about our often-forgotten elders' struggles. We call on society to recognise our elders' on-going contribution to their community by helping create lasting change in their lives.' Dalit Shekel, CEO of Relate Bracelets, says: 'Relate Bracelets' partnership with Ikamva Labantu is about honouring our gogos – the grandmothers who have held families and communities together for decades. We're proud to play a part in helping them earn with dignity, stay active and connected, and feel a renewed sense of purpose. This dignity first approach sits at the heart of everything we do. And every time someone chooses to wear a Relate bracelet, it's a small act that keeps us all connected.' The Ikamva Labantu and Relate Bracelet's Mandela Day initiative has already raised over R100 000 towards supporting Ikamva Labantu's 17 community-led Senior Clubs and homebased rehabilitative care for homebound elders, with corporates like Pam Golding Group, Sovereign Group and Spectacle World contributing. If your company, school or community has not yet pledged 67 minutes, on July 18 you can donate non-perishable food items like canned food, rice, maize meal, cooking oil, sugar and coffee to Ikamva Labantu's head office in Woodstock. These items will be distributed to Ikamva Labantu's bedridden elders.
