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South Africa: Nelson Mandela’s Legacy Still Reigns Supreme

Legacy of the late struggle icon and former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela still resonates in each one of us as we continue to imprint change to our communities. This was said by the Deputy Director-General of Group Systems and Support Services at the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti), Ms Sarah Choane while delivering her keynote speech at the Nelson Mandela Day Centenary celebration which took place in Bronkhorspruit, outside Pretoria.

As part of this year’s Mandela Day centenary celebrations, the dti’s Disability Forum organised a trip for staff members to spend a portion of their day with kids from Sizanani Children’s Home and to also handover two wheelchairs, food stuffs and toiletries.

“We really appreciate the legacy of the late former president Nelson Mandela for having shown us as a nation that we need to reach out to others. As human beings it can never be that we are satisfied with what we are as individuals, but always to have compassion for others,” said Choane.

She further pointed out that the dti had made a significant role in their approach to dealing with disability as a human right and development subject.

“We as the department have a strong foundation of reaching out to people who are physically tested. We pride ourselves for being one of the departments that have exceeded the target set up by cabinet to employ people with disabilities. Cabinet has set up target of 2% and we are on 3.61%, indicative of that we are really resolute to empower previously disadvantaged people in our community,” she cited

The General Manager of Sizanani, Mr Carl Busquet commended the department for the job well done.

“I believe the dti has put a step forward and this is a starting point for the future. We are going to have a good friendship with a lot of staff members. We thank them for what they have done for us,” he concluded

Sizanani Children’s Home was founded in 1993 by Roman Catholic Church Priest, Father Charles Kuppelweiser. It is a non-profit organisation catering for 66 orphaned and abandoned children and youth between the ages of four and 34 years with severe to profound physical and intellectual disabilities.

After members of the dti’s Disability Forum visited the home they took it upon themselves to continue being agents of change by procuring wheelchairs and requesting other employees to assist with non-perishable food, toiletries, adult disposable nappies, cleaning material and laundry chemicals to aid the disadvantaged children.

Picture caption: the dti’s Deputy Director-General Ms Sarah Choane handing over wheelchairs and other donations General Manager of Sizanani Children’s Home Mr Carl Busquet

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Department of Trade and Industry, South Africa.