Local foundation celebrates Mandela Day

Mandela Day is recognised as an annual global celebration that honours the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela.

This day is a call to action for individuals, communities, and organisations to take time to reflect on the positive impact that they have made within their own community.

The year 2023 marks exactly 10 years since Nelson Mandela died and the Nelson Mandela Foundation has launched the theme of this year as food, climate and solidarity.

The ceremonial program was held on July 10 at Tefla Group Bredell and ended with a tree planting at the home of the GDF, 21 Pomona Road, Kempton Park.

Talifhani Tshitwamulomoni, the COO of the Green Development Foundation (GDF), said the purpose of the event was to launch Mandela Day.

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“We have partnered with the Nelson Mandela Foundation as a strategic partner. Our role is to ensure we plant trees in the entire country and globally but also to ensure we encourage food security.

“We invite you to participate in this effort to green our society,” he said.

Partners such as Leafy Space, Medilac and SAIFA made donations and pledges.

SAIFA representative Dovhani Mamphiswana said they are excited to partner with GDF.

“This is an exciting imitative that is associated with our leader, founder and father of the republic Mandela. We are pledging 100 trees and we are available to help plant trees.”

Tiyani CEO of Leafy Space told the Kempton Express that he encourages everyone to plant trees.

“Trees give us life. The oxygen that we enjoy comes from trees. Covid-19 taught us to go back to the basics, so we have to look at sustainable life for the future,” he said.

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Gabriel Temudzani said he loves pledging because it promotes a culture of ownership and responsibility. “We must pass this message on to our children, for the future is in their hands.”

Former board chairperson of the GDF, Dali Tambo, said he was honoured to have been invited to plant a fruit tree.

“Trees can feed, be nurtured, and develop if you take care of them.

“All the work the GDF do is essential as a learning tool for us. We live in an urban society but we must cherish nature and our environment.”

The GDF is an NPO focusing on environmental conservation, agriculture and food security as well as environmental advocacy and emergency response.

It undertakes work related to climate change mitigation and adaptation through the planting of new forests and the conservation of older ones for carbon sequestration.

It helps with the creation of backyard and community gardens as well as the designing and implementation of nutrition programs to address food security, environmental conservation education and awareness programmes as well as community support for natural disaster occurrences.

Mulalo Thabela, founder of GDF, said they celebrate Nelson Mandela Day on July 18 and invites people around the world to participate.

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This international day is recognised by the United Nations and people are asked to give back to their communities by carrying out acts of kindness and services.

This year focuses on a programme of activities involving tree planting, home and community-based gardens and positive climate actions.

Thabela said the global citizens are encouraged to stand in solidarity and plant trees for Mandela Day to contribute towards a greener, healthier and more beautiful environment.

They are encouraged to plant indigenous and fruit trees to highlight the intersection between climate change and food security.

The objective is to use Mandela Day as a platform that will feed into long-term impact through sustained programme interventions.

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“After planting their trees, people are asked to take a photo, with a caption giving their location, and post it on social media using the hashtag #PlantForMandela.

The intention is to kick-start a mega tree planting movement in honour of Mandela,” he said.