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Trees
were planted, songs were sung, and people willingly gave of their time to
celebrate the birthday of the city's favourite citizen.
EXCITEMENT
and pomp filled the air as scores of people converged on Thokoza
Park in Soweto to celebrate the planting of Nelson
Mandela's 91st tree on Saturday, 18 July.
Planting the 91st tree in Thokoza Park (Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)
The planting
of the 91st tree was a symbolic gesture to mark Madiba's 91st birthday. It is
also an integral part of City Parks' Greening Soweto, a project to plant
200 000 trees in the township.
Speaking
at the celebrations, Executive Mayor Amos Masondo urged people to support the
values for which Mandela fought.
"This
is a great opportunity for the City of Johannesburg
to demonstrate commitment to the greening project. We are happy and grateful to
be part of the great celebrations that are taking place across the world," said
Masondo.
He
narrated Madiba's history and his leadership in the struggle against apartheid.
"We owe Nelson Mandela for making this country and the whole world a better
place to live in," Masondo said.
Dali Lumka,
a representative for ward 33, stood in for Councillor Zanele Lutya and encouraged
members of the people to continue supporting greening activities. "Your support
has led to a marked decrease in littering, vandalism and illegal dumping in our
parks," he said.
Lumka
also spoke about the improvements that Soweto
had undergone in the past years, praising the city for restoring the integrity
of public open spaces.
"Soweto is in the hearts and minds of people all over the
world because of Nelson Mandela and his global reach ... Let's live in the
footsteps of the great Madiba and inspire a vibrant Soweto," he said.
After
the speeches, Masondo planted the 91st tree in Mandela's name and cut a
birthday cake, flanked by children from Lakeview Primary School
singing "Happy birthday" to Madiba.
City Parks
is already half-way to meeting its target of planting 200 000 trees in the
southern parts of the municipality. The greening initiative is a 2010 FIFA
World Cup™ legacy project.
Cleaning the streets of Alexandra (Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)
Every
year, Johannesburg
plants a tree in honour of Nelson Mandela in his birthday month. The first 89
trees were planted in Thokoza
Park in 2007, and the 90th
was planted in 2008.
Other
celebrations
But it was not the only party on the day. Mandela's 91st birthday was celebrated
across South Africa,
and indeed around the world as people and organisations spent 67 minutes
bettering the world in some way in honour of the 67 years Madiba devoted to
improving the lives of all.
The
day marked the first Mandela Day. It is planned to hold the event annually. Many
government officials donned overalls and helped repair roads, distributed blankets
and spent time with the elderly.
City
Parks spearheaded several campaigns cleaning up parks, rivers and dams, planted
trees and painted playground equipment in Orange Farm, Cosmo
City, Diepsloot
Park, Jukskei
Park, Rotanda Park
and Rosettenville.
In
Fordsburg, a great number of grannies and granddads had a birthday party for
Madiba at the Jan Hofmeyer Recreation Centre. The party was organised by the City's
department of community development, with senior citizens from all seven of its
regions taking part.
The
aim was to honour the elderly, who were welcomed by councillor Johannes
Muswifhi Nemaungani. "We are gathered here today to honour all the elderly
people who made a difference in our lives. They raised us with love and now it
is time that we look after them," he said.
Festive
mood
There was plenty of food and also a cake, and everyone was in a festive mood.
The music harked by to the 1970s and 1980s, with songs by Brenda Fassie, Yvonne
Chaka Chaka and Mercy Phakela being a hit all over again. The grannies were on
the dance floor showing off their moves to Via Orlando, Burnout and Weekend
Special.
President Jacob Zuma celebrates Madiba's birthday in Ivory Park (Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)
"It
is the first time I am meeting these other old people. It feels so good because
I take so long to get together with other grannies just to have fun like
today," said Lucky Mafora, from Leratong.
The
music reminded her of the old days, she said, adding that she was very happy
because she even got a chance to sing on stage.
"I
wanted to see Mandela; I have never seen him with my naked eyes," said Mantwa
Selaledi, also from Leratong.
Highlight
A highlight for the gogos and the granddads was writing special messages to
Madiba on small pieces of paper. These messages will be taken to Nelson Mandela
Children's Fund House, where they will be read to him.
The
Amafelandawonye Youth Group entertained, causing much laughter. Lebogang
Makhetha recited a poem thanking the elderly and Madiba for all they had done
to better the lives of today's generation.
The
objective behind the celebration was to highlight challenges faced by the
elderly people. These include abuse, violence, poverty, homelessness,
inactivity, loneliness, and crime.
"The
elderly may be most vulnerable but are people who form the foundation of our
society," said Gugu Makhaya, a communication specialist from the City.
Councillor
Teresa van der Merwe, from the community development section 79 committee gave
a vote of thanks to the elderly and the youth for supporting the celebration.
It
was hosted by the City's department of human development and the National Youth
Service.
Transport
gets involved
Way
across town, banners and balloons bearing the words, "Happy birthday Madiba"
decorated Nelson Mandela
Bridge, which links Braamfontein to Newtown. The beautiful
bridge was alive with activity as people lined the pavement, singing, dancing
and shouting with excitement and joy.
Encouraging the values of ubuntu: the mayoral committee member for transport, Rehana Moosajee celebrates Nelson Mandela's 91st birthday
The
City's department of transportation in the inner city used the bridge as its
stage to promote honesty, respect, co-operation, ubuntu and accountability, the
values by which each road user should live.
"The
way we relate on the roads says a lot about our values or the lack thereof,"
said the mayoral committee member for transportation, Rehana Moosajee.
Mandela
was a person of values, she said, urging pedestrians and motorist to live by
the values of the father of the nation.
"We
saw that it would be ideal to use Mandela
Bridge as it is Madiba's
birthday today," said Lorraine Mapela, the department's safety information
manager.
Department
staff handed out road safety pamphlets to motorists and pedestrians. "We want
our motorists and pedestrians to reach 91 as well," said Moosajee.
67
minutes
The campaign was a response to the increasing road accidents on Joburg roads
and to the call to do something for the good of other people on Mandela Day for
67 minutes.
"Road
accidents are increasing and we want to encourage both drivers and pedestrians
to use the roads in the safest manner possible," said Mapela.
Road
users got gifts - scarves, rulers, crayons and keyrings. "Do not give to drivers
who are not wearing their seatbelts; we are encouraging safety on the roads," Moosajee
urged department staff.
Later,
members of the Johannesburg
metro police department and City Year, a unit set up by the national government
to promote youth service, joined the party. The bridge was buzzing as young and
old sang "Happy birthday".
Pedestrian
Angel, the City's transport mascot, also had fun with people along the streets.
According
to its website,
"City Year provides a year of full-time community service, leadership
development and skills training to young South African volunteers between the
ages of 18 and 25 from all backgrounds".
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