To honour Nelson Mandela’s legacy, members of the West Rand’s 67 Blankets initiative visited the West Rand Oncology Centre, where they donated handcrafted knee blankets to patients undergoing radiation and chemotherapy treatment.

The colourful knee blankets were placed in the waiting area on Thursday, July 16, allowing patients to choose one that caught their eye, while others were carefully laid over chairs in the chemotherapy unit to provide comfort during treatment.

Founded by Carolyn Steyn in 2013, the 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day initiative has grown into a nationwide movement. Every year, volunteers, affectionately known as ‘KnitWits’, dedicate countless hours to knitting blankets, scarves and other items, demonstrating how small acts of kindness can make a lasting difference in honour of Madiba’s legacy.

West Rand ambassador Rob Herring said the initiative has grown beyond South Africa’s borders and continues to touch lives around the world.

“The impact has been enormous. We have distributed thousands of blankets and scarves to people in need. Every item is made with love, by hand, and about 90% of the initiative is self-funded. For us, it truly embodies the spirit of Ubuntu,” he said.