The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality’s (EMM) executive mayor, Clr Mondli Gungubele, joined hands with the community of Winnie Mandela Section in Tembisa on Monday, July 13.
He helped the community plant 67 indigenous trees and assisted with purifying the Kaalspruit stream in honour of Nelson Mandela’s legacy.
On the day, Solomon Mahlangu Road and DM Morokane Drive were swamped with residents who heeded the call to devote 67 minutes of goodwill to better other people’s lives.
“It is up to all of us to make our country a better place to live in, and as the EMM, we want to emphasise the importance of caring for the next person and nurturing the environment as those were the ideals that Mandela stood for,” said Clr Gungubele.
“The number 67 is derived from the years the celebrated international icon dedicated to the struggle for the emancipation and equality for all South Africans,” said the mayor.
“It is a fulfilling feeling to contribute to the Nelson Mandela Day campaign. I hope these trees will grow to provide us with shelter and beautiful scenery,” said Ms Joyce Mbatha (42), a resident of Winnie Mandela.
Mr Themba Gadebe, the EMM’s spokesperson, said the mayor used the occasion to speak against the prevalent acts of vandalism on council’s property in the Tembisa area.
“As the city, we view acts of vandalism as barbaric and robbing our people of their basic human rights. We therefore vow to bring all the perpetrators of such acts to book,” said Clr Gungubele.
