South Africans have been encouraged to dedicate 67 minutes of their time this Mandela Month to clean their communities.
In his 2014 State of the Nation (SONA) speech, President Jacob Zuma called on all South Africans to practise a healthier and cleaner way of living by taking care of their environment and cleaning up the areas where they live.
The Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema, in his response to the president’s speech, refused heed his call to clean on Mandela Day, arguing that the instruction goes against the wishes of President Mandela, who said it must be left to individual’s choice on how they wish to remember him or celebrate his life.
The month of July has become over the years known as Mandela Month, and July 18 has been internationally declared as Mandela Day.
On Mandela Day, people are called on to devote 67 minutes of their time to change the world for the better, in a small gesture of solidarity with humanity, and in a small step towards a continuous, global movement for good.
2014 is particularly symbolic, as the world continues to honour the great South African statesman by making every day a Mandela Day.
South Africa this year marks 20 years of democratic freedom.
This will be the first year that the world celebrates the day after Nelson Mandela’s death.