Rand West City Local Municipality (RWCLM) Executive Mayor Gladys Khoza ditched her office and spent the entire day in Westornaria and Randfontein and worked hand in hand with communities, transforming a dumping site into a beautiful vegetable garden while also painting a classroom.
This was on Mandela Day (July 18) when many got to witness the town’s first citizen in a work suit and saw her staying true to her word of improving the lives of residents.
She went to Ngqonyela Street in Mohlakeng where she started a vegetable garden and proceeded to the Girls and Boys Town school on the border of Randfontein and Krugersdorp, where she planted vegetable seedlings and painted a classroom. Here she was later joined by Gauteng MEC for Social Development, Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Mbali Hlophe who assisted in the painting.
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These efforts formed part of her string of activities throughout the different communities on Mandela Day, including the Holomisa informal settlements in Bekkersdal, which was her starting point.
During this time, Khoza rolled up her sleeves and was all hands on deck with residents and cleaned up the areas as well. She also started a food garden, which residents will benefit from.
Speaking to the Randfontein Herald, Khoza said she was thrilled to be working hand in hand with residents in the communities she serves and is confident that the vegetable gardens will ensure food security.
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“We are celebrating Nelson Mandela Day and it’s an international day that relates to our late icon. We wanted to celebrate his life by serving our community, especially as a leader that cares. Mandela said we must promote love and that’s what we are doing today. We wanted our community to know that we love them by cleaning the dumping site and converting it into a vegetable garden to ensure food security.
“We planted spinach, cabbage, and spring onion among other vegetables and we hope that most of the community doesn’t buy vegetables and can come here reap the fruits of their labour,” said Khoza.
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Meanwhile, Gold Fields Mine was also actively involved in the success of the day and donated sheets and pillows to learners at the school.
Khoza and Gold Fields have a long-standing and formidable relationship and the two partner up frequently to better the lives of community members in and around Randfontein and Westonaria through different corporate social investment projects.
