DRIEFONTEIN – Nationally acclaimed gospel sensation, Hlengiwe Mhlaba revived the spirit of thousands of residents during the 67 minutes for Mandela Day celebration in Driefontein, now Saul Mkhizeville, in the Mkhondo Municipality.
Despite the chilly and windy weather conditions experienced on July 17, elders did not miss the chance of celebrating this year’s Mandela Day with Hlengiwe, deputy minister of agriculture forestry and fisheries Bheki Cele, Mkhondo’s executive mayor, their entourage, and traditional leaders.
Almost everyone sang along when Mhlaba lively perfomed her hit song Ngizwile isandla sakhe singithinta, ngizwile izwi lake likhuluma, senmgiyakholwa futhi ngiyazi impilo ayizose ifane (I have heard His word speaks to me and his hand upon me , I believe and I declare my life will never be same again).
She also powerfully prayed to God to intervene in the lives of the residents and pour His rain onto the land so that people may plough their fields and have plenty of food.
Cele referred to as the General, showed his singing skills when he joined the singer onstage and even led one of the songs, Ithemba lami ngonyuka nalo ngingene endumisweni.
Cele started the day by sharing breakfast with elders of the area before visiting several families among the 67 identified where he helped in planting vegetables, a fruit tree at each homestead and handed gardening tools, fertiliser, food parcels and a blanket
to each family.
The families were also urged to make vegetable gardens as a way of fighting hunger and poverty. The day also saw four primary schools from the area being presented with 60 school uniforms each.