Durban — On July 18, South Africans will be marking 67 Minutes For Mandela in honour of the 67 years that struggle icon and former president Nelson Mandela spent fighting for human rights.
As per the culture of Mandela International Day, citizens are encouraged to spend 67 minutes of their time in service to others in need.
The Daily News sought to establish how some intended to spend their 67 minutes in service to others. Various people, including political organisations and academics, expressed different views and feelings about Mandela Day.
IFP KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Thami Ntuli said that Mandela Day was an annual initiative that the South African Local Government Association (Salga) used to direct the energy of municipal leaders and employees towards community concerns.
“With over 44 000 employees in KZN municipalities, Salga has the ability as the local government employer body, to be impactful.
“Just last year, we encouraged municipalities to focus on young people. We built classrooms in Wit Mfolozi in Amajuba. This year we are in Eshowe in Umlalazi, in King Cetshwayo. Two schools have been identified, Baqaqe Primary School located in ward 28 of Umlalazi and Madidima Primary School in ward 1 in the deep rural area of Mphaphala in Umlalazi,” he said.
Ntuli said the schools would be assisted with sports equipment, toilets, and running water. In addition, he thanked all stakeholders and said the “girl child” would be assisted with sanitary pads for the whole year.
General Bantu Holomisa, the leader of the UDM, said his party had made no plans but encouraged community members to lend their hands and join community initiatives.
The leader of the BLF Andile Mngxitama rejected Mandela Day and stated that it was a “jamboree for forgetting and whitewashing the sins of whites and apartheid”.
“The nation is made drunk on reconciliation without justice. We need to use the day to reflect on the political compromises of Mandela and the lessons they have for us,” he said.
General secretary of the Land Party, Mandisa Zamile said they would use Mandela Day as an opportunity to invite President Cyril Ramaphosa to a meeting to discuss economic segregation and land ownership that hamper the people from being liberated from the historical past under oppressive apartheid rule.
“Further, the Land Party is seriously concerned about the economy, high food prices, high fuel prices, the electricity crisis, and the high travelling costs for our working class to get to work and the expropriation of land.
“This meeting will be more significant to the Land Party and to the citizens of South Africa who are anxiously waiting on responses to these pressing issues,” Zamile said.
Gauteng director of counselling at the University of South Africa, Dr Enid Pitsoane said that her unit would hold activities on Mandela Day at Ramoshidi Secondary School in Seabe village in Mpumalanga, where among other activities, there will be girls' and boys' dialogues.
Reflecting on the role played by Mandela, she chose to focus on the positive things Mandela did for the country.
“I will always cherish what Tata (father) did. He taught us humanity which some of us need to uphold. No man is pure and we all make mistakes,” she said.
Daily News