Bikers act against abuse

On 15 July, The Bikers for Mandela – including 5FM’s DJ Fresh and Nelson Mandela’s personal assistant, Zelda La Grange – gathered at the Miriam Makeba Centre for Girls in Midrand to re-paint the centre for 67 minutes. The 67 minutes for Mandela is a long-running campaign that honours the 67 years Mandela spent making South Africa a better place. This call to action asks South Africans to spend just 67 minutes of their time trying to make a difference.

The Miriam Makeba Centre for Girls was founded in 2003 by world-renowned songstress, Miriam Makeba. It is a care facility for young ladies that have been affected by violence in their households and need a safe haven. Today the girls also participate in literacy, singing and dance programmes instituted by the centre.

There was a spirit of unity in the air, and The Bikers for Mandela worked hard as a team.The event also had a warm, family feeling because Madiba’s daughter, Zindzi Mandela, and granddaughter, Zoleka, were also part of the painting team. When asked why Bikers for Mandela and the 1st for Women Trust – which Le Grange is the patron of – chose this particular initiative to support, she replied, “Madiba felt particularly inspired by Miriam Makeba’s music and in this way we can pay tribute to both of them, as this is something that she started.”

Zindzi and Zoleka Mandela both expressed their joy at making a difference in these young ladies’ lives. Zindzi said, “This whole thing is about humility and love and that’s what Madiba is about.” DJ Fresh was also excited to be there and lent the event his jovial presence and signature laugh. “This is my third year being part of Bikers for Mandela. It’s about trying to make others’ lives just a little bit easier if you can. It’s all part of the Mandela Legacy,” he said.