St Bartholomew Anglican Church in Kagiso recently hosted a Nelson Mandela Day initiative to uphold the late State President Nelson Mandela’s legacy of supporting the poor, vulnerable and marginalised.

Led by minister Robert Malatsi, together with the church’s stakeholders, the event brought the community together to celebrate Mandela’s legacy. Malatsi opened the day by reading from Proverbs 14:31 and sharing guidance with the Kagiso community.

More than 80 vulnerable community members received food parcels and donated items, including dresses, shirts, trousers, gardening personal protective clothing, as well as swimming costumes and beanies for children. The items were donated by church members.

The day also saw a visit from the police, led by Sergeant Papi Mokgejane, who came to acknowledge and pay tribute to the positive services provided by the church.

Cynthia Mawela, who co-ordinates the church’s social responsibility programmes, said she was pleased that the church could extend its support to those in need while encouraging healthier lifestyles within the community.

“I’m happy for our church to have extended its hand to assist the needy and to make sure that we all live a healthy lifestyle. We want to pray for the sick, the unemployed, especially our youth, and the high levels of crime in our area. We hope that this day will go down well for the beneficiaries of our goodies,” she said.