South Africans take to Twitter to criticise #67minutes
South Africans have voiced their concerns about the #67minutes movement using the poor as accessories while the world celebrates Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday anniversary.
After years of creating the tradition of dedicating time and resources towards the underprivileged on Nelson Mandela’s birthday to honour his tradition, some South Africans have pointed out the flaws within the #67minutes movement.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation founded the #67minutes campaign in 2009 asking people all over the world to honour Madiba’s legacy by giving back to the poor. They released a statement that read:
“Nelson Mandela has fought for social justice for 67 years. We’re asking you to start with 67 minutes. We would be honored if such a day can serve to bring together people around the world to fight poverty and promote peace, reconciliation and cultural diversity.”
"What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead."#MandelaDay #67Minutes pic.twitter.com/UIfDlPG2Av
— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) July 18, 2018
This campaign has taken off since then with many South Africans dedicating their time, donating resources and creating awareness of the plight of the less fortunate. This year, however, has seen a different sentiment from people. With rising petrol prices, increased VAT and the poor state of the South African economy, many people have voiced their concerns about the failure of #67minutes in creating sustainable impact in the lives of the poor.
Recently, the Global Citizen Initiative headed by the Patrice Motsepe Foundation, one of the richest South Africans in the world, announced a special festival featuring international superstars Beyonce, Jay Z, Pharrel Williams, Ed Sheeran amongst many others. The festival, happening in December at FNB Stadium, encourages activists and music fans to earn their free tickets by signing up on the Global Citizen website and making a change in the lives of the poor in honour of Madiba. Tickets will also be sold at R1840.
https://twitter.com/Ofentse_Kgabo/status/1020196406286606336
Boom Ladies.#GlobalCitizenFestivalSA loaded@romytitus @neo_moabelo @philatyekana pic.twitter.com/Jg5gEgkX3H
— LEBOHANG MADUBANYA (@Lebo_Madubanya) July 16, 2018
Their ethos reads: “Global Citizen is a movement of engaged citizens using their collective voice in an attempt at ending extreme poverty by 2030. It has grown into one of the largest, most visible platforms for young people around the world, calling on world leaders to honour their responsibilities in achieving the United Nations sustainable development goals and ending extreme poverty by 2030.”
While this movement sounds good on paper, many people have criticised the rise of these kinds of initiatives for failing to make a real change in people’s lives. World poverty is rooted in historical legacies of exploitation of people and resources. Another factor that’s often ignored is that the world’s richest 1% own half the world’s wealth and until that is rectified, poverty will never end.
Many South Africans used the #67minutes hashtag to criticize those in privileged and political positions failing to make real change and a sustainable impact beyond an hour and 7 minutes every year on Mandela Day, here’s what people had to say.
Some Cape Town residents woke up at 3:30am and built a shack outside WC Premier @helenzille Leeuwenhof's official residence, complete with two portable toilets, challenging her to spend her #67Minutes for #MandelaDay “inside the shack" and use the same services they use everyday pic.twitter.com/m3RmvU83mu
— Sphelele (@SpheDludla) July 18, 2018
#MandelaDay 67 minutes for Mandela is just a PR stunts to paint famous people as champions of the poor. Poverty is everyday, ending it must trend daily. Also can the government do something to youth and create employment opportunities #67minutes #67MinutesForMandela pic.twitter.com/oUjlncdsqM
— Eton Shonhiwa 🇿🇼 (@Elton_Shonhiwa) July 18, 2018
It will be best if in this #67Minutes of #MandelaDay celebration we provide 67 Bursuries/67 permanent jobs to unemployed young pple🙏 pic.twitter.com/fPaFVD4FvT
— Mntungwa Ka Ndaba (@MntungwaKa) July 17, 2018
It was going to be better if in 67 minutes of Mandela Celebration people are provided with 67 bursaries or 67 jobs to unemployed young people… #MandelaLecture #Mandela100 #67Minutes #MandelaDay pic.twitter.com/87wahQxGpN
— ︎ ︎ uNtando︎ (@Ntando_mos) July 17, 2018
I will do #67Minutes if petrol decrease by 67 cents 😒 pic.twitter.com/6ytrifYBHR
— STEVE •☥ (@RealDeeperholic) July 17, 2018
Let me invoke Mama Winnie for a clearer signal.#MandelaDay #67Minutes pic.twitter.com/CfzntSJ2pF
— Bra Hloni (@BraHlonisky) July 18, 2018
