Mandela Day kicks off at Joubert Park
JOBURG – Numerous organisations give back to the homeless of Joubert Park on Mandela Day.
ABI Bottling, Radio 2000, Nedbank, Gift of the Givers and Radio Hillbrow, were just a few of the companies doing their part to donate more than 67 minutes of their time on Mandela Day by giving back to the homeless community of Johannesburg in Joubert Park.
Mmaphuti Mpheroane of Channel Africa and Radio 2000, and group chief executive officer of the 67 Minutes of Love event held at Joubert Park explained, “Today we came here to give our 67 minutes to the homeless people and needy people living in and around the Joburg CBD.”
“This is an annual event that started in 2011 in Pretoria and in the following years we came here to Joubert Park and decided to make this our permanent home. Every year, on Mandela Day, Radio 2000 comes here to feed the homeless and the needy, and then we send them home with food parcels and we also clean the park.”
The event, specifically intended to be attended by the homeless people of the city, began with the homeless taking part in the clean-up operations of the park, after which they were fed and treated to some warm meals and even a show by a few up-and-coming artists, following which they were given their gift parcels and blankets.
Mark Pillai of Gift of the Givers added, “We partner with anyone who’s doing good for the world and good for mankind – that’s the motto we live by – it’s the principles of Madiba.”
Gift of the Givers was just one of the many organisations who lent a hand on this day, and fed hot meals to more than 1 000 homeless people who were in attendance and also sent them away with food packs, courtesy of their many sponsors.
