MZANSI has once again answered the government’s call to do good in celebration of late former president Nelson Mandela.
Following the riots in Gauteng and KZN, many people spent Mandela Day cleaning streets and helping the vulnerable.
Speaker Thandi Modise and National Council of Provinces chairman Amos Masondo said in a statement: “We need to consider what Madiba would have done today to deal with numerous challenges. These include unemployment, inequality, crime, the Covid-19 pandemic and latest destruction of property and livelihoods, which left over 200 people dead and billions of rands lost.”
- In Dobsonvile, Soweto, the community cleaned the main road and an illegal dumping area.
Ntombana Blom said: “We felt the road was dirty and reflected on us.”
Christopher Booysen, founder of Lady In Pink in Eldorado Park, south of Joburg said they gave away 100 blankets, 100 sanitary pads and 200 loaves of bread.
- In Tshwane, residents of Mandela Village in Hammanskraal spent 67 minutes cleaning their kasi.
Lerato Machaba said: “Mandela loved smartness and clean places, and we decided to keep his legacy alive.”
Residents of Atteridgeville also cleaned the streets.
- In the Vaal, Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure MEC Jacob Mamabolo and his staff helped to fix roads in Sedibeng.
Moshoeshoe Road was abuzz with tractors and reflectors.
Mamabolo told Daily Sun: “I thank the leadership of the taxi industry as all associations affiliated with Santaco and GNTA who requested me to pay a visit to this particular road.”
Santaco chairman Midday Mali said the road’s bad condition was causing accidents.
- In KZN, deputy Home Affairs minister Njabulo Nzuza visited Eshowe to examine the damage at one of the department’s offices.
Thulani Dlamini, the mayor of Umlalazi, said: “We thank those who came to help with the clean-up operation.”
- In the North West, Ipeleng Kwadi, a farmer from Brits, donated seeds to aspiring farmers. People are unemployed and farmers have a role to play. The price of food increases every day,” he said.
