It’s not even 7am and ‘Tata’, ‘Mandela Day’, ‘Happy Birthday Madiba’ and ’67 minutes’ are trending on Twitter.
“In 2009 we declared 18 July – the birthday of our beloved former President Nelson Mandela – as Mandela Day. We declared this day in honour of Madiba to inspire all of us to take action personally to help change the world for the better and create a sustainable movement for good in South Africa and abroad,” said President Jacob Zuma in a statement. “The United Nations honoured our country enormously by also declaring the 18th as International Nelson Mandela Day. On Madiba’s 95th birthday, all our thoughts are focused on the rich legacy he has given us as South Africans and the world,” he said. “Let us return Madiba’s sacrifices and contributions through our own efforts to build a better society. Make Every Day A Mandela Day.”
The media has taken Mandela Day to heart, not just in covering the thousands of stories generated by the world honouring our icon of reconciliation, but also by doing its bit to make the world a better place.
Even the creatures of the Johannesburg Zoo are celebrating. The world’s most famous Tweeting Badger, BG, has posted on Twitter saying, “All of us animals at the zoo are singing happy birthday Tata. The elephants are out of tune. Hope you can hear us. We love you.” #MandelaDay
The Media Online has created a Pinterest board in honour of Mandela’s birthday, showing how various media have honoured him on Mandela Day. See it here.
What are media companies doing for Mandela Day?
SABC
The SABC has produced a wonderful poster in honour of Mandela Day, designed in=house by Masechaba Sibanyoni who says the inspiration was Mandela himself. “I looked at the man and what he means to everyone hence the words on the ‘9’ – these were some of the words that I could relate him with and his values. At some point I realized that I might just run out on words to us for the ’5 ‘– that is when I decided to use some of his famous quotes. The colours that I used were inspired from Madiba’s strong belief on the ‘Rainbow Nation’.
The SABC has declared July ‘Mandela Month’, and its various stations are involved in campaigns and activations around South Africa. Sibayoni’s design has been used across the campaign, from posters to banners on SABC Facebook page, Twitter and YouTube. Light boxes are being put up at the SABC TV building. There is also a television ad that started airing on the 12 July 2013 and will run throughout
Sibayoni echoes the sentiments of many South Africans when she says, “There is no other person that did what he did – to fight for us for a better future. He sacrificed most of his life for the Republic of South Africa. He is the one person that does not see colour instead he sees a rainbow nation. There could not be any other like him.’
The SABC in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Children Hospital (NMCH) has encouraged staff to donate towards building the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital.
The SABC is honoured to be associated and to celebrate the 95th birthday of South Africa’s world statesman and the icon of our democracy,” says SABC spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago. “We believe that being involved in such activities is in keeping with the legacy of our former President Nelson Mandela through the restoration of human dignity for all South Africans. SABC News has already changed the lives of many South Africans and its continuing to do so through its TOUCHING LIVES initiative”.
SABC in partnership with J4Joy Foundation and Umhlobo Wenene FM have been involved in the reconstruction of Mpako Junior Secondary School in Mqanduli Village near Umthatha, Eastern Cape. The school is now complete and was handed over yesterday as part of the Mandela Day celebrations. The SABC also handed over a house to a destitute family in the area.
Meanwhile, SABC radio station Lotus FM has been collecting school shoes and raincoats in aid of underprivileged children. Lotus FM will host a telethon to collect as many school shoes and raincoats as possible on Mandela Day. All staff, listeners and viewers are encouraged to come down to the SABC KZN offices, address100 Old Fort Road – to dedicate 67 minutes by calling friends, family and corporate companies to donate towards this worthy cause. All raincoats and school shoes donated on Mandela Day will be distributed as part of Lotus FM’s Warm Hearts campaign.
5FM
Gareth Cliff and 5FM are creating some Madiba Magic by joining hands across South Africa as a gesture of unity and commitment to making our country a better place. “Thanks to the marvels of modern communications and social media, Mandela Day 2013 is a chance for us to do something in concert and to share our experiences. Madiba Magic is something we collectively manifest at those special moments when it feels like we’re all doing something special, together,” says Cliff.
South Africans can listen Cliff on 5FM or followion Twitter and Facebook to join hands across South Africa on Mandela Day at 8.45 am for 67 seconds. Use the hashtag #HandsAcrossSA and #Madiba5. 5FM and our Deejays will be making their way to the historical Vilakazi Street in Soweto. The 5FM team and representatives will be painting the Holy Cross Day Care Centre, cooking lunch for 150 children, playing soccer with the children from the Thyolweni Orphanage and handing over donations to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.
Ending off the day, The Fresh Drive will be broadcasting live from Vilakazi Street at Sakhumzi Restaurant. Join the team of DJ Fresh, Poppy Ntshongwana, Catherine Grenfell and Duran Collett from 3pm to 7pm. Entrance is free and listeners who come through can meet the team, plus have the Big Dawg himself mix SA’s most wanted tracks during the Fresh Drive Happy Hour for Beats By Demand.
SABC 2
SABC 2 will assist a school in the East Rand, Winile Secondary School, that is in dire need of an intervention. The staff and channel icons will spend the day at the school giving a hand. The channel has also partnered with Ekurhuleni Municipality and Awesome Adventures for the Trek 4 Mandela adventure. Three trekkers led by Sibusiso Vilane (the only South African who has climbed all of the world’s peaks, acknowledged by the Queen of England and awarded ‘The order of Ikamanga’ by Thabo Mbeki), will be climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro from the 12 – 18 July in honour of Madiba Day as well as raising funds for two million girls with sanitary products challenges. The climbers will in the end mount the SA flag at the peak of Kilimanjaro as an honour to Madiba and South Africa.
Media 24 goes green
Media24 has dedicated July to several Mandela Day projects and this year the focus is on green initiatives. Partnering with Food and Trees for Africa, Media24 will plant at least 100 trees in the Montagu region. Media24 and Clothes for Cash are again teaming up to collect clothes which will be passed on to entrepreneurs for resale. You can drop off your unwanted clothes at various points. Men’s and baby clothing are especially in short supply but please, no underwear and shoes.
To find a drop-off point near you click here for a list of contact people in your building. You can also buy a Media24 Tree Coupon for R90 which will go towards donating an indigenous tree to a needy school or an underprivileged community. To buy a coupon email giftshop@media24.com. Media24 is also looking for ideas to reduce its carbon footprint.
Email your ideas to win@media24.com with Go Green for Madiba in the subject line and you could win one of five cash prizes worth R1 000 each.
Government Communication and Information Service
As part of promoting a spirit of volunteerism and observing the Nelson Mandela Day, Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) will lend a helping hand to two orphanage homes in Atteridgeville, Pretoria. These are the Leamogetswe Safety Home and the Kingdom Life Childrens Centre. Services to be rendered include delivery of donated groceries, cleaning of the premises, gardening, laundry, and general maintenance. GCIS will also donate computers to the homes.
Starcom MediaVest
Vulingqondo is a Pre-school /Day Care centre for Kids, situated in the township of Orange Farm in the Vaal Triangle. The pre-school currently has 52 children. It is owned by a woman called Valerie, who has dedicated a lot of her time and energy towards helping educate and groom future leaders in her community. Even though the pre-school receives school fees from the parents, the day care centre still requires financial assistance to keep it going. SMG adopted the school and has been assisting Valerie by funding their monthly expenses and groceries etc.
The company also does bi-monthly fund raisers to raise money to fix up the building they are currently occupying and are looking towards buying them a new building. It will host annual Christmas parties/Graduation for them. On Mandela Day, the staff will go and clean up the pre-school, make a nice garden area for the kids to play in. We will also be taking some furniture and equipment that has been donated by various staff members, such as garden benches and tables. Clients, namely Ellerines, have also been so generous, they will supply mattresses for the kids to sleep in while they are at the day care. They normally sit and sleep flat on the concrete floor with thin carpeting.
Primedia Broadcasting
Lead SA and the department of basic education will be celebrate Madiba’s 95th birthday by encouraging all learners to sing a special happy birthday song in assemblies on the day. The Deputy Minister of Education, Enver Surty and Lead SA representatives will be joining 650 learners in the song at Thohoyandou Primary. The assembly will be followed by a programme of volunteer projects to facilitate 67 minutes of service to honour Madiba’s legacy.
Primedia Unlimited
The company has once again chosen to assist Fountain of Love on this occasion for they truly need our assistance. Primedia Unlimited has assisted this home for the past four years. Fountain of Love was founded by Rosie Mthembu who has taken it upon herself single handedly to look after abandoned children. The home is based in Katlehong and currently houses seven boys and 28 girls aged from 4 months to 19 years. Rosie has converted her own home to accommodate these destitute children. Rosie together with a few children will visit the Primedia Unlimited office to collect items donated by management and staff and to say a prayer for Madiba. Donated items will include warm clothes for the children, blankets, electric heaters, toys and non perishable food items.
NAB (Newspaper Advertising Bureau)
NAB will be visiting the Lebogang Mpho early learning centre, also known as Hayani. The primary objective of the organisation is to focus on destitute women and child welfare. Hayani support HIV orphans, street children, abandoned children and those living in dire poverty. Another priority of the project is to promote community development self-help projects among destitute women. NAB have supported Hayani for just over a year, which began with a visit from the team last Mandela day. This year, the NAB team have been collecting clothing and non-perishable food items for over a month to take along to both the Orange Grove and Alexandra township homes. We have also arranged a visit from ‘Miles of Smiles’ who are a family company made up of artists who will be face painting up to 60 children at Alexandra and 25 children at Orange Grove, and some of the NAB staff will step in to help face paint, hand out treats and play with the children in celebration of Mandela day.
Algoa FM
Last year we selected one beneficiary and the entire station supported that beneficiary for Mandela Day. This year we wanted to give back in a bigger way and each show selected a beneficiary close to their hearts. They are all using their own contacts and friends to support their chosen beneficiary. By doing this we are giving at least 12 beneficiaries (excluding the ones staff will be supporting) awareness on air and on our website regarding the wonderful work they are doing in the community. Our presenters will talk about their chosen beneficiary on-air leading up to Mandela Day for this week and talk about their experience of being at the beneficiary on-air. They will lead people to our website where they will find information on the various beneficiaries with contact details to find out how they can assist the beneficiary as well.
Continental Outdoor Media
Continental Outdoor Media have donated over R500 000 worth of inventories to the Nelson Mandela Centre for Memory. The campaign has been flighted on Citilites throughout Gauteng, including digital screens in shopping malls across the country, OR Tambo International Airport, Cape Town International Airport and King Shaka Airport in KZN. The campaign has also been flighted with an iconic version of the campaign on the façade of the Continental Outdoor Media head office building in Bryanston.
In addition the Continental sales team will be partnering with KFC and Mindshare to spread the awareness of the lack of sanitary towels, which leads to young girls not attending school for protracted periods. The campaign will be called ‘Keep a girl child at school’. They will be going to shopping malls on Mandela Day to ask consumers for donations of sanitary ware to give to needy young female learners. Continental Outdoor will also be making a donation of these products to the cause. This forms part of their contribution of 67 minutes of doing good for Mandela Day.
“We would like to show our gratitude and respect for Madiba, particularly in these difficult times and do our part to keep his legacy and his vision for South Africa alive,” saysBazil Lauryssen, CEO of Continental Outdoor Media.
Sello Hatang, chief executive, Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory said, “The vision behind Mandela Day is simple – that each individual has the ability and responsibility to impact change. One message drives this vision: Mr Mandela gave 67 years of his life fighting for social justice and human rights. The Mandela Day campaign asks that individuals, groups and corporates use just 67 minutes of their time on 18 July and everyday thereafter to give back.
“No matter how small the action, the aim is to change the world for the better, just as Mr Mandela has. Change is driven by those who make it. One man’s vision has inspired a global movement for good. Share in this vision and become a change maker. The Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory would like to thank Continental Outdoor Media for their contribution and dedication in promoting the work that we do. It is with partners such as these can we can ensure that Madiba’s legacy lives on.”
Ask Afrika
Ask Afrika are conducting a survey about what makes Madiba a South African Icon, what this means to people and what his legacy does for our country.
Ads24
Ads24 will be participating in one of the Media 24 initiatives. Below are the details of what Media24 will be doing. Ads24 will be asking all the staff to bring in unwanted clothing on the 18 July. They will all get together and pack the clothing in Ads24 branded bags/boxes which will then be delivered to the Media24 drop off points. They will also be asking everyone to wear green on the day to support the Media24 goes green for Mandela Day campaign. This will happen at the CT and KZN offices as well. They will also be inviting trade to assist with clothing donations.
And don’t forget South Africa’s animal community…
NSCPA: Caring for Animals; Caring for Communities
Communities in South Africa rely on animals for many reasons: companionship, problem animal control, protection and alarms, milk, eggs, meat, transport, power, and financial security. However, these animals may also suffer from neglect, which stems from a lack of knowledge and resources.
To improve the standard of welfare of the animals in these communities, the National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) will be paying tribute to their Patron, Nelson Mandela, on Mandela Day through an outreach programme for the Zonk’Izizwe area, an informal settlement in the East Rand of Johannesburg.
The NSPCA will be located at the Zonk’Izizwe Police Station from 10h00 until 15h00 to provide the following services: primary wound care to local animals, administer rabies vaccinations, and knowledgeable personnel will be available to provide education on care and handling of animals. There will also be four roving units for those with limited mobility, and their Farm Unit will also be present to tend to the needs of farm animals in the area. An activity area will be set up for children.
African Tails
Pawesome People, African Tails is sure that you often sit with your snout glued to the screen wishing you could physically get involved with our jobs and helping the woofs of the world out there. Here is a chance to actually get doggone down and dirty, and make a paws-on contribution to help all the needy braks out there! African Tails in conjunction with The Dogbox Project are challenging our Super Suppawters to join us on 20 July to Complete 67 dog kennels, in 67 minutes, using 67 teams – In support of Mandela Day!
All the kennels that will be completed in this project will be distributed into the less fortunate communities, where the living conditions of the animals are far from perfect. With your assistance and paw-ticipation, we will be able to change the lives of 67 braks (and hopefully even more) that will now be able to be warm and dry in the winter but also cool in the hot summer.
• The aim of the project is to get 67 teams to complete 67 readymade dog kennels in 67 minutes.
• A team must consist out of two people – friends, family or even colleagues – enter a tea of 2 and pay R100 towards the kennel that you will complete.
• The readymade kennels will be supplied 95% assembled and each team would then be responsible to finish one (1) kennel, adding finishing touches and varnishing.
• On the day of the event, we will collect the kennels completed by the teams.
• Every kennel will be accompanied with a blanket and bag of dog food.
• The event will take place on Saturday, 20 July 2013 at Cape Gate LifeStyle Centre from 10:00 – 12:00.
So leap on board with the A Team right now by e-mailing contact@africantails.co.za for an entry form.