Today the City of Johannesburg proudly celebrated the annual Nelson Mandela Day alongside the celebrated Nelson Mandela Foundation and 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day by giving back to almost 150 retired citizens from the De Wetshof Retirement Village and close to 50 girls from the Strathyre Girls Home, both in Kensington, Johannesburg.
The mayor was also joined by the MMC for Development Planning, Cllr Reuben Masango, the MMC for Housing, Cllr Meshack Van Wyk, the MMC for Group Corporate and Shared Services, Cllr Ntombi Valencia Khumalo, and the MMC for Health and Social Development, Cllr Mpho Phalatse.
In the spirit of this year’s theme, Action Against Poverty, the City sought to partner with local businesses and organisations including Guvon Hotels and Spas and Academy, Shoprite, and Absa to spend 67 minutes bringing joy to the most vulnerable of society.
True to the spirit of A Re Sebetseng, a monthly volunteer clean-up campaign aimed at instilling a sense of pride in the City’s public spaces, the mayor donned his gloves a lead volunteers through the facility where each did their bit.
Carolyn Steyn, Founder of 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day says, "67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day is honoured to be joining hands with the Executive Mayor, Herman Mashaba and the City of Johannesburg to help improve facilities at De Wetshof Retirement Village this Mandela Day.”
“This facility is a most worthwhile cause to support in our community. A big thank you to Guvon Hotels and Spas, and the Guvon Academy for their good wool and support through their donation of a bursary to study in the hotel industry. Not only are they sponsoring the food and beverages for this special day, their staff have also donated almost a thousand handmade blankets to 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day.”
The young girls from the Strathyre Girls Home were given 67 of these blankets on the day. Scarves which have been made with love the KnitWits for Madiba were handed over to the residents of De Wetshof Retirement Village to help keep them a little warmer during the cold winter months.
Throughout the morning, various projects were spearheaded by the City, including the establishment of a communal food garden with support from Starke Ayres, Checkers Hyper, Malanseuns Pleasure Plants, Plantland Garden Centre and Culterra. Starke Ayres offered to assist the village with training on how to care for the food garden. Medi Rite pharmacy assisted the residents from the retirement village with health checks. The Coffee Collection handed out delicious coffee and donuts. Checkers spoiled the village with various goodie bags, Malanseuns planted Nelson Mandela roses, fruit trees, vegetables and herbs, and Rentokill helped sort our any pest problems.
Joining the mayor, the City’s MMC for Health and Social Development, Cllr Mpho Phalatse, added that whilst we celebrate the life of Nelson Mandela, we consider that we are faced with the triple challenge of poverty, inequality, and unemployment.
“As leaders in communities, in institutions of government, we are compelled to address the legacy of Madiba. We join the global community by commemorating this day and giving our gift, our time, skills, and service to two of the most vulnerable groups in our society, our senior citizens and our young girls.”
Furthermore, the local United Ethiopian Community Association donated R100 000 to furthering projects and maintenance at De Wetshof Retirement Village. Once again, Mandela Day has shown that where people join in a common goal to better society, giving from their hearts, much can be achieved and change can happen.
For media queries:
Chantelle Fourie-Shawe
Media Specialist: Office of the Executive Mayor
chantellef@joburg.org.za
081 546 1014
Or
Siyanda Makhubo
Stakeholder Manager: Office of the MMC for Health and Social Development
SiyandaMa@joburg.org.za
081 548 9078
