Othandweni children share special birthday celebration with MEC Nomantu
: Gauteng Social Development MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko marked her birthday by spending time with children at Othandweni Family Care Centre and highlighting the importance of equality and support for vulnerable youth.
The MEC for the Gauteng Department of Social Development celebrated her birthday on June 8, 2026. To commemorate this special milestone, MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko invited members of the community to join her in the celebrations.
MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said society must be built on the principle that equality is not merely a slogan, but a reality.
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“We must build a society where children grow up understanding that equality is not a slogan but a reality. No child should be made to feel inferior because of their gender, race or background,” she said.
Nkomo-Ralehoko added that the future is something that is built collectively and that every investment made in children today is an investment in the society they seek to create.
Sarah Matsego, centre manager of Othandweni Children’s Home, said the birthday celebration was being held at Othandweni Family Care Centre.
“Othandweni is a centre that was established in 1984. We accommodate 90 children from birth to 18 years old. All the children at the centre have been abandoned, abused, neglected or orphaned.
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“We have social workers who provide these children with psychosocial support so that, as they grow up, they can heal from the anger and trauma they experienced when they were removed from their communities,” she said.
Margaret Sheron Arnolds, Speaker of Council for the City of Johannesburg, said that as a woman from Eldorado Park and a survivor of rape, she believes the children have bright futures ahead of them.
“I believe these children can become the next MECs, speakers, CEOs and leaders of their generation. Madam MEC, thank you for spending your time with these children. These are the people who need to be appreciated. It takes a village to raise a child,” she said.
Dinah Masooane, a social auxiliary worker from Joburg Child Welfare’s Bara Thuthuzela Care Centre, said she was supporting her colleagues at Othandweni, as it is one of the institutions with which they work closely.
“Thuthuzela Care Centre, based at Bara Hospital, provides medical examinations and support for children who have been sexually abused.
“In many cases, these children cannot immediately return to their homes after the abuse has occurred, and they are brought here to Othandweni, where they can receive care and protection,” she said.
