Hillbrow police embrace the spirit of giving on Mandela Day
JOBURG – The Johannesburg East cluster police held a parade from Constitution Hill in Braamfontein en route to Barnato Park High School in Berea, to hand out parcels as part of the Mandela Day celebrations on 18 July.
Mandela Day celebrations were in full swing in Hillbrow as police from Johannesburg East Cluster and various civil society organisations prepared for 67 minutes of service to the community in honour of Nelson Mandela.
A procession of about 200 people made their way from Constitution Hill in the precinct, to Barnato Park High School in Berea, where food parcels, blankets and sanitary towels – a gift from the Hillbrow Youth Desk – were handed over to the elderly and young girls.
The cluster consists of seven police stations, including Cleveland, Jeppe, Hillbrow, Rosebank, Parkview, Norwood and Yeoville.
Captain Nthabiseng Magowa, the social crime prevention coordinator for the Johannesburg East Cluster, said their mandate was to appreciate the life of Mandela through the spirit of giving.
“We decided that we’re going to spend our 67 minutes with the community and members of [various] churches by marching to Barnato Park to donate gifts such as sanitary towels to the girls staying in the shelters,” said Magowa. She added that she hopes that the event will also impact people suffering from domestic abuse.
“We hope to make a positive impact through these celebrations. We wish that members of the community can speak out when facing instances of abuse. They should report it so that we can work together.”
Magowa, however, said the idea should go beyond Nelson Mandela Day and continue throughout the entire month. “As a cluster, we’re planning to [host similar events] throughout the whole month of July,” she said.
“We have partnerships with businesses that will donate goodies that we shall distribute to other homes and shelters.”
