Various entities continued their humanitarian endeavours in support of the annual campaign of dedicating 67 minutes to the cause of Mandela Day, commemorated on 18 July. These acts of goodwill are aimed at helping those less fortunate and making the world a better place to live in.
The public are encouraged to voluntarily make a positive impact in the lives of others, coinciding with the late former president Nelson Mandela’s birthday on this day in July.
This year marks ten years since Madiba’s passing in December 2013. To commemorate this, the Nelson Mandela Foundation themed the ten-year remembrance “The Legacy Lives on Through You”.
Various organisations heeded the call to support the campaign and presented much-needed essentials to those in need.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, in the Free State donated school uniforms towards 99 needy learners of the Rekgonne Primary School in Phase 4, Bloemfontein.
These children come from impoverished households. Their parents are unemployed and depend on state grants for survival, while the children are reliant on meals served through the school’s feeding scheme.
In total, the school has 1 330 learners, from Gr. R to Gr. 7.
Maj. Gen. Mokgadi Bokaba, provincial head of the Hawks, emphasised the importance of supporting the campaign to keep Mandela’s legacy towards helping others alive.
“Nelson Mandela left the country with a practice of goodwill, where everyone is called to give back and make the lives of the less fortunate better,” said Bokaba.
The Mangaung Retired Teachers’ Association (Mareta), an organisation of retired teachers in Bloemfontein, banded together and donated essential hygiene and non-perishable items towards the Tswellang Special School for the physically disabled in the city. These items will benefit the learners housed at the school’s hostel.
Itumeleng Ditaunyane, spokesperson for the group, said they volunteered to collect items for these 270 learners.
