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City Park is spearheading clean ups around
Joburg on Mandela Day, and has urged people to devote their 67 minutes to
beautifying the environment.
A WIDE range of activities has been lined up
by the City of Johannesburg
and its parks agency, City Parks, to celebrate Nelson Mandela's birthday on Saturday.
The portfolio head for environment, Matshidiso Mfikoe, and learners from Houghton Primary School celebrate Madiba's birthday
The world icon and former president will be
turning 91 on Saturday, 18 July, and the day has been set aside as Mandela Day
around the world. Numerous local and international events will mark the day.
Speaking at a media briefing held in Ward
67, in Houghton, on 16 July, City Parks' managing director, Luther Williamson,
said 67 trees would be planted around the city to honour Madiba's legacy. The
number reflects the number of years Mandela spent fighting for human rights.
"Mandela Day is aimed at inspiring
individuals to embrace the values advocated by Nelson Mandela, who has been
making an imprint on the world for 67 years," he said.
This year marks the first Mandela Day.
People around the world are being urged to dedicate 67 minutes of their day to
volunteer their time for community service.
Williamson said City Parks would be
spearheading cleaning campaigns in parks, on pavements and along rivers. It
would also paint play equipment in parks in partnership with community groups
and schools.
Activities will start at 8.30am in Ivory Park, Jukskei Park,
Diepsloot Park 2, Cosmo City, Rotunda
Park in Rosettenville, Riverlea Old
Age Home, Orange Farm
Park and Elands Park.
The 91st tree will be planted at Thokoza Park,
in Soweto, by
the member of the mayoral committee for environment, Matshidiso Mfikoe, who
will also cut the birthday cake. There will also be activities at Zoo Lake
on Sunday, 19 July.
"We urge residents to become part of the campaign
and make a difference in the quality of life of our fellow citizens and to
participate in the campaign in their respective areas," Williamson added.
Mfikoe urged people to come out in large
numbers to support the event. "Let us honour our former president, who
sacrificed a lot for us."
Musical celebrations
National celebrations will take place in Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown, under the theme Working
together for the common good of our nation.
A programme of speeches, music and dance
has been arranged for the square, starting at 9am.
In New York City,
a concert will be held at Radio
City Music
Hall on 18 July to raise funds for the Nelson
Mandela Foundation. Some of the world's most famous musicians are performing;
it is being staged by 46664, a campaign named after Mandela's Robben Island
prison number which champions his humanitarian work with the support of the
Nelson Mandela Foundation.
Popular singers from the US and Africa are
performing in the Big Apple - South Africa will be represented by Yvonne Chaka
Chaka, Chris Chameleon, Freshlyground, Vusi Mahlasela and Thandiswa Mazwai.
Other African performers appearing are Sudan's
Emmanuel Jal and Nigeria's
Susanna Owiyo
City Parks' activities for Mandela Day
|
Suburb
|
Region/Ward
|
Activity
|
Address
|
Start time
|
End
time
|
|
Thokoza Park
|
Region D
|
- Planting of 91st tree
- Children and senior citizen awareness, picking up litter, etc
- River clean up
|
Chris Hani & Ntuli streets,
Soweto
|
9am
|
11am
|
|
Diepkloof Zone 4
|
Region D
|
- Site clean up
- General cut and clean illegal dump site
- Planting 15 trees
|
Martinus Road,
Diepkloof, Soweto
|
8am
|
10am
|
|
Juskei River Park
Alexandra
|
Region E
|
- Cut and clean Alexandra area
- Clean river system
|
Roosevelt Avenue, Far East Bank, Alexandra
|
8am
|
10am
|
|
Rotunda Park
(Turffontein) and Elands Park Town Entrance
|
Region F
|
- Cut and clean open spaces
- Paint play equipment
|
De Villiers and High streets, Johannesburg
|
8am
|
10am
|
|
Diepsloot Park 2 (East)
|
Region A
|
- Cut grass in informal settlement
|
No 4920/142, Diepsloot
|
8am
|
5pm
|
|
Orange Farm Regional
Park
|
Region G
|
- Clean surrounding environment and open spaces
- Paint playground equipment
- Plant flower beds around Township TV
|
Regional Park next to
the Moloka Clinic, Orange Farm
|
8am
|
10am
|
|
Cosmo City (Tennessee Park)
|
Region C
|
- General clean up of pavements and open spaces - hot spot
areas
|
Tennessee Street
|
7am
|
5pm
|
|
Riverlea Old Age Home
(Housing department)
|
Region B
|
- Assist senior citizens in identification of plants at old age
home, planting and labelling
|
Japura and Horseshoe streets, Ext 2, Unit 32, Riverlea
|
8am
|
10 am
|
|
Zoo Lake (Sunday, 19 July)
|
Region B
|
- Church and school group clean up
- Application of effective microbe balls into dam
|
Jan Smuts Avenue and Westwold Road,
Parkview
|
8am
|
10am
|
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