Celebrate 67 minutes on Mandela Day at Tafta homes

THE Association for the Aged (Tafta) invites Durban residents to commemorate their 67 Mandela minutes at Tafta homes in honour of transformation icon, Nelson Mandela.

“Our seniors have created a wonderful legacy for the people of Durban, through their hard work in helping to build the city and contributing to the economy.  Now it’s our turn to #BeTheLegacy and use the opportunity presented by Nelson Mandela’s Centenary to honour our aged with comfort and care this Mandela Day. We’re therefore opening up our Tafta Homes to the community for the entire month of July,” said Tafta CEO, Femada Shamam.

Tafta elders have also decided to commemorate Mandela’s centenary birthday this year by launching their own give back drive called the ‘Tafta Cares’ initiative.

Last week, elders of Tafta Lodge in South Beach came together to hand over a donation of toys, baby clothes and toiletries to the paediatric ward of Wentworth Hospital.

ALSO READ: Siblings step it up for TAFTA

The children were also given treats, which included bags of chips and sweets by Tafta Lodge resident Farida Haffejee.

“It felt so good to give back and not just be on the receiving end. It was a wonderful way to illustrate how we can all contribute towards a better life for all,” said Haffejee.

The Tafta Lodge residents, under the supervision of the Anna Conradie Wellness Centre coordinator Jackie Russell, will also hand out care hampers to 20 homeless elders on Thursday, 12 July at a breakfast hosted in their honour at the service centre as a further contribution to the Tafta Cares initiative.

“If our elders still have the capacity to come together to make a difference, surely we can too?” said Shamam.

Anyone who would like to participate in any of Tafta’s Mandela Month initiatives can contact Pranisha Beharie on 031 332 3721 or email pranisha@tafta.org.za

ALSO READ: Dress in purple to take a stand against elder abuse with Tafta 

 Four ways to get involved with Tafta this Mandela Day: 

1. Visit

Help with painting, cleaning, gardening, crafts, cooking/serving meals, games and writing letters, etc. Spend time with our elders: teach them a fun activity, cook a meal together, or simply enjoy a chat.

2. Ask us for help

They may be old, but they still have a lot to give! If you’re involved in an outreach project that needs items knitted or a ‘granny’ to read to young children, please let us know. Many fit and active elderly residents would enjoy the opportunity to volunteer and #BeTheLegacy themselves.

3. Have a clear out

Use your 67 minutes to clear out your home or garage and donate any clothing or household item that you haven’t used in over a year to Tafta. If we can’t use the items in our homes, we’ll sell them through our charity shop – Granny’s Attic – to raise much needed funds towards the care of needy pensioners. Items may be dropped off at the shop in Samora Machel (Aliwal) Street, or call 031 332 3721 for collection of large loads.

4. Donate/ fundraise

If you really can’t give of your time, you can still be involved in Mandela Day by making a special donation towards our work. Simply contribute online by credit card or Instant EFT by clicking on the donate tab on the Tafta website.

Do you want to receive alerts regarding this and other Highway community news via WhatsApp? Send us a WhatsApp message (not an sms) with your name and surname (ONLY) to 060 532 5409.

You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have signed up for our news alerts you need to save the Highway Mail WhatsApp number as a contact to your phone, otherwise you will not receive our alerts.