Johannesburg – Rea Vaya buses emblazoned with pictures of former president Nelson Mandela will today, Thursday, (18 July 2024), traverse the City as part of the commemoration of Mandela Day.
The City of Johannesburg Transport Department, which includes the Johannesburg Roads Agency, Metrobus, and Rea Vaya, will join the rest of the world in honouring the late former president, who died on 5 December 2013, at 95.
“The Rea Vaya bus service and stations will be decorated with a private sector sponsored Mandela Day message, further spreading awareness of the day’s importance,” explained Johannesburg City Member of the Mayoral Committee for Transport, Councillor Kenny Kunene.
“Additionally, 20 free transport cards will be distributed at the Johannesburg School of Autism, as Mandela Day is the perfect opportunity to highlight Rea Vaya’s free transport for disabled person programme during off-peak hours.”
MMC Kunene said he will also donate much-needed sanitary towels to girl learners at Doornkop Secondary School in Soweto.
“I am proud to lead a team willing to play their part in honouring Nelson Mandela’s legacy of service,” said MMC Kunene on the eve of Mandela Day.
“Through the combined efforts of the City’s Transport Department, we hope that we too can one day say we have led a significant life, however small, because we made a difference in the lives of Johannesburg residents.”
In a related development, the Gauteng Department of Health announced that, for
Nelson Mandela Day, it will embark on the second edition of the “Surgical Marathon” initiative.
The department said the initiative builds on the success achieved in 2023 when it launched the project to honour Madiba by making a difference in the lives of others.
“At the time of the launch, there was a historical backlog of 37 000 surgeries that had accumulated over time,” the department said.
“Through the concerted efforts of 30 participating hospitals, the department was able to clear the backlog by the end of 2023/2024.”
Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, was expected to join the department’s team at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital today.
MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko will oversee the ongoing Surgical Marathon and hand over some donations to patients at the facility.
“The hospital is poised to perform over 120 surgical procedures across various specialties,” the department said.
“Other facilities across the province will also be participating in the surgical marathon.”
The 2024 Nelson Mandela Day theme, “It’s still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity”.
In Western Cape, the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) Minister Dean Macpherson, Deputy Minister Sihle Zikalala, and Director General Sifiso Mdakane will today lend a hand.
They will give their time and department’s services for the betterment of others.
Minister Macpherson, Deputy Minister Zikalala, DG Mdakane, and the DPWI staff will be cleaning, painting, gardening, doing minor maintenance work, and donating movable assets in three different sites in the Western Cape.
Meanwhile, Not In My Name International announced that it was partnering with Shoprite again.
“We will be at the Mamelodi Disability Centre in Mamelodi West Pretoria, giving out clothing, cooking lunch, and most of all spending quality time with the special needs community,” Not In My Name International said.
Many other individuals and companies will be doing their bit to commemorate Mandela Day.
