The City of Joburg was abuzz with activities this Friday as entities and regions honoured the legacy of the iconic leader, Nelson Mandela. City employees were encouraged to dedicate their time to giving back, and this year, Region C set aside time to appreciate the elderly in their communities.
The initiative formed part of Mandela Day’s global call to action, encouraging individuals to devote 67 minutes of their time to improving the lives of others and caring for the communities where they live and work. Mandela Day is observed globally on the18th of July every year.
The event was organised by Community Development – Sport and Recreation unit in partnership with the CRUM and other departments in Region C, hosted an event that brought together more than 200 elderly from various areas within the region, namely Bramfischerville, Tshepisong, Fleurhof, Davidsonville and Doornkop, to celebrate the day through a range of sporting and wellness activities.
The day began with joy and excitement as Food Lovers Market (FML) located inside the Centre -served the elderly with ‘hot soup’ while everyone waited for the programme to start – on the cold morning. The gesture welcomed and uplifted the grannies, who arrived in comfortable clothes and sport t-shirts they typically wear during their daily exercises at local facilities.
Among the attendees were grannies aged 90, still making moves, and another who was100 years old, still walking without assistance. As the programme kicked off, grannies started singing and dancing, when the Region’s Regional Director (RD) Mlamleli Belot joined in singing and dancing.
This year’s Mandela Day celebration featured a range of fun, wellness and recreational activities. The Department of Health was also present, offering free services such as:
– Health screenings
– Hearing and basic health services (diabetes and blood pressure checks)
– Memory & mental health.
Others were:
– Optometry services.
– Aerobics and other games tailored for elderly participants.
Speaking at the event, the RD expressed her appreciation for those in attendance, saying: “We love you all and thank you for your presence today. We appreciate you all for the teachings you always give us that make us better people today.
This beautiful occasion would not have been possible without the support of our generous partners, including the FML, Spectacle Warehouse Optometrists, Department of Health, who all came together to provide valuable services and presentations to our senior citizens.”
The event left a lasting impact on the community. Gogo Noma Nkosi from Doornkop shared her gratitude, commenting that the day had been a success:
“This day was an enormous success, and everyone is happy to be here, we have learnt a lot. The spirit of Mandela must live on.”
SUPPLIED.
