As part of celebrating Mandela Day Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Foundation hosted a lunch for Soweto Senior citizens in Vilakazi, Orlando West where she stayed with her former husband Nelson Mandela before he went to prison, on Saturday.
The pensioners received goodie bags and blankets.
Speaking at the celebration Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe said, “Mandela Day is a day where the country’s citizens must ask what they can do for their country and not what their country can do for them.
“You are probably the only politician I know that still lives at where it happens here in the Kasi in Soweto.”
“Thank you for that leadership and that reflection that let’s develop the places where we live.
“I am also happy that this event is taking place in Vilakazi Street, it is the only street in the world where two Nobel Laureates lived Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela,” Radebe said.
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela urged South Africans to be patient with government as it strives to fulfil the promises it made to them.
Madikizela-Mandela said, “It pains me to see some of the struggles that the country is facing now like load shedding and racism, and I pray that South Africa would take form they envisioned during the struggle.”
The struggle stalwart says she hopes each Mandela Day would be better than the next and that in 2016, South Africa would have been rid of some of the problems it faced in 2015.
Pensioners, who grew up on the same street where former President Nelson Mandela lived in Soweto, have described him as loving and kind.
Lizzy Ramashiya (80) a neighbour said, “Actually, Mandela did not live on Vilakazi Street, he lived on Ngakane Street.
“They just moved his gate to face Vilakazi Street when they were building the museum.
“Now everyone thinks he lived on Vilakazi Street.”
Selina Buthelezi (75) a Rockville resident said, “Madiba raised us.
“Today we want to remember him.
“He was full of love and kindness.
“We are here because of them (Mandela and Winnie), and thus we will never forget this day. Everything he did, he did it for the children and also gave them a chance to express themselves.
“It did not matter how old you were, he loved everyone the same.”
She added that in December, he would take us all in his car and buy us drinks and goodies.
