Community members became a voice for the animals on Mandela Day in Sandton City shopping centre on 18 July.
Traditionally, individuals spend 67 minutes doing something meaningful on this day to commemorate Nelson Mandela and the selfless life he lived. However, the National Council of the SPCA (NSPCA) dedicated the whole day to a worthwhile cause. The aim of the day was to raise funds, collect food and blankets for animals, and to create awareness.
Members of the 5FM Roger Goode radio show joined forces with the association and spent the day locked up in a cage in the shopping centre to protest against the captivity of wild animals around South Africa.
Marketing and fundraising manager of the NSPCA, Michelle Falgate explained, “We are here in Sandton for an important cause on Mandela Day. Rodger Goode and his team were locked in a cage for the entire day to symbolise the fact that wild animals do not belong in cages. They deserve to be free.”
Riani Grobler, the secretary in the fundraising division of the association explained the symbolism behind cages and Madiba. “Mandela had to fight for his freedom and he stands for liberation, justice and hope. Mandela Day is, therefore, a perfect day to create awareness and spread the message that wild animals deserve to live in the wild and should not be locked up in cages for their whole lives.”
Falgate interacted with community members and encouraged them to donate food and clothes. However, Goode adopted a more extreme approach and screamed through the cage, “Don’t pretend that you can’t see us, we can see you. Donate to the animals.”
Sandton-based resident, Jessica Wolpert was one of the residents who donated.
Wolpert said, “I came here to donate money and blankets as I am a huge animal lover and this is the right thing to do.”
Cardies, a gift shop with a branch in Sandton City also took part in the Mandela Day activities with the NSCPA. Cardies’ marketing manager, Lindi Engelbrecht, said they were selling bracelets, scarves and socks to raise funds for the association.
Engelbrecht added, “The red on the bracelet that we are selling symbolises the blood shed as a result of dog fighting in South Africa. In the packaging of the bracelets you can see the words ‘it’s time to fight so our dogs don’t have to’.”
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