​Each year, in celebrating the 67 years of service and sacrifice for our country by former president Nelson Mandela, our country comes together with residents, businesses and organisations getting to work to help those less fortunate.
 
On what has become known as Mandela Day, acts of charity work are undertaken for 67 minutes each year on 18 July, the birthday of Tata Madiba.
 
The day brings with it a heightened sense of the needs in our communities and the service and assistance we can all offer to address those needs.
 
The City of Cape Town has through, its efforts to build a caring city, often shone the light on the good work done in partnership with community organisations, which underpins the ethos of making progress possible together.
 
In line with our Organisational Development and Transformation Plan (ODTP) principles of being a proactive and customer-centric government, we are working each day to contribute actively to the development of our environmental, human and social capital.
 
When it comes to the notion of 67 minutes, my challenge to everyone is that we must use Mandela’s birthday and his life’s work as a reminder of his persevering legacy to remember that our service and help to those in need does not need to be restricted to one day or 67 minutes. We can all do a little more and make a greater impact if we work together.

We must use this day to spur on greater action, beyond 67 minutes, to show more compassion and give more help where it is needed.
 
The City will be part of various Mandela Day activities, including assisting The Elders organisation with their Walk Together Campaign in Cape Town on 17 and 18 July. The Elders is an independent group of eminent global leaders brought together by Nelson Mandela, who offer their collective influence and experience to help resolve conflicts, address major causes of human suffering, and promote the shared interests of humanity. Some of The Elders include Kofi Annan, Former UN Secretary-General and Chair of The Elders, Graça Machel, and international advocate for women’s and children's rights, Former President of Ireland and former UN Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson.
 
To mark the 10th anniversary of the day, Nelson Mandela launched The Elders. The organisation will launch the Walk Together campaign in Cape Town with civil society partners to inspire hope and engage people in ideas that inspire solidarity, respecting differences. This is an expression of the mandate Mandela asked The Elders to undertake as a collective of independent, respected leaders – to offer hope where there is despair.
 
As a part of the launch of the Walk Together campaign on 18 July, The Elders will host a public walk from the Grand Parade to the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
 
Other activities where the City will be involved include:

• The Deputy Mayor, Alderman Ian Neilson and Mayoral Committee Member for Area East, Councillor Anda Ntsodo, will join Canal Walk in partnership with LEAP Science and Maths Schools in hosting a Mandela Day event on 18 July 2017 at Canal Walk Shopping Centre. Staff of sponsoring organisations and the public will construct the largest food can mosaic ever made in South Africa. The mosaic is in the shape of the Nelson Mandela Day logo and will span 8 x 16 m and use 6 700 kg worth of food cans. At the end of the construction, the mosaic will be dismantled and all the food cans distributed to the needy
• Mayoral Committee Member for Area South, Councillor Eddie Andrews, will join Decision Affects Destinies (DAD) ambassadors who will be donating 67 care packs for sexual assault survivors on 18 July 2017. The DAD Youth Mentorship Programme is championed by Councillor Andrews and aims to expose young people to opportunities that can build their capacity and enable them to be motivated and inspired. It encourages the ambassadors that every decision they make affects their destinies Mayoral Committee Member for Area Central, Councillor Siyabulela Mamkeli, will be distributing toys to various Early Childhood Development centres in the Central Area on Mandela Day. ECDs in the following areas have been identified: Ruyterwacht, Gugulethu, Manenberg and Delft

A comprehensive list of activities by the City’s Mayoral Committee Members is available here.
 
Our late former president Mandela offered his life for the struggle for social justice and a free, democratic country. By continuing this work, we can ensure that his legacy remains alive for years to come and that we build the country he fought for and dreamt of.
 
May we be mindful of the great task that still lies head and remember Madiba’s profound words: ‘A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination’.
 
 
End