Scores of Eastern Cape residents spared 67 minutes from their daily lives and participated in a hive of activities across the province to help make a difference on Mandela Day.
Members of the provincial legislature on Thursday spent part of their time in the Tsholomnqa community raising awareness about social ills and gender-based violence.
They were also deployed to make a difference in various projects in Buffalo City Metro, legislature spokesperson Lwandile Sicwetsha said.
“Commemorating Nelson Mandela’s birthday, the Eastern Cape provincial legislature intended to observe the day as a day of humanitarian action.
“The provincial legislature also heightened the fight against social ills and gender-based violence and facilitated a collective effort to intervene in the Tsholomnqa community as it is [plagued] by poverty and social ills,” Sicwetsha said.
The Nyandeni Local Municipality in the OR Tambo district partnered with the Eastern Cape House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, and hosted a career expo for Dumezweni and Sandi senior secondary school pupils to inform them about future opportunities.
The municipality plans to extend its activities to Friday, when it will hold a road safety awareness campaign on the R61 in Sewushe, as well as environmental and inkciyo initiation awareness initiatives.
Municipal spokesperson Ncebakazi Kolwane said employees helped spruce up the streets of Libode and Ngqeleni — the two towns under the municipality — and conducted stop-and-checks, and enforced bylaws.
“This day is a call to action for individuals, communities and organisations to take time to reflect on Mandela’s values and principles and to make a positive impact in their own communities.
“It has been a practice throughout the years that during this month people should donate 67 minutes of their time by contributing to society in making a difference in the lives of the less fortunate.
“Through this initiative, the aim is to give effect to Mandela Month, forging working relations with key stakeholders to advocate for the less fortunate that they too get government services that are due to them; to promote a clean and healthy life environment through cleaning and awareness, and to enforce bylaws through collaboration with law enforcement,” Kolwane said.
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