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It has been a difficult week for South Africa. We have seen riots and looting in various parts of the country.

In partnership with SAPS, our Law Enforcement, Metro Police, neighbourhood watches and Walking Bus members have all pulled together to ensure that these riots have not spread to Cape Town and the Western Cape. These efforts have reminded us of what a society should be: involved, connected and supportive.

Creating the society we want, requires all of our efforts. It also reminds us of the values shared by our first president of a democratic South Africa, the late Nelson Mandela, who lived his life through compassion, resilience, fairness and hope.

Indeed, recent events have shaken us, but we have previously proven to be resilient. We have hope that just as we will emerge from Covid-19, we will be brought closer together by choosing to display the best parts of our humanity.

I have been heartened to see our residents, and organisations show up for the greater good, along with the efforts of the City of Cape Town and Western Cape Government over the past 16 months.

The City of Cape Town, in partnership with the Western Cape Government, will continue to focus on helping those who require assistance.

Tata Madiba fostered a deep understanding of his fellow South Africans through compassion and acceptance, which enabled him to reconcile conflict, in the spirit of nation building and healing. We must all continue to do more to honour his memory and values.

This is especially important now, as we continue to grapple with the Covid-19 pandemic, which impacts all of our lives. Let us continue to display that same compassion and care for each other.

His vision and hope was the compass for our democracy. Despite these challenging times, let us remain hopeful that we chart our way forward, and rebuild so we can emerge from this pandemic with a renewed strength and resilience.

We encourage all residents over the age of 35 to come forward to be vaccinated. Registration can be done through:

• https://vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za/#/ or  www.westerncape.gov.za:
• Dial *134*832# and follow the prompts (FREE on all South African Networks); or
• WhatsApp the word REGISTER to 0600 123456. 

 
As a sign of our respect and compassion to our fellow residents, let us continue to wear a face mask, wash our hands regularly and practice social distancing as the country moves towards ultimately beating the Covid-19 pandemic.

Happy Mandela Day!

We are #OneCityTogether.

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