Minister of Small Business Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu, will spend Mandela Day (Saturday, 18 July 2015) assisting Bantu Bonke Agricultural Cooperative in Meyerton, Midvaal to grow and access markets. She will later move to Pimville, Soweto, where she will lend a helping hand to young people who are fighting drug abuse.
Bantu Bonke Agricultural Cooperative
The Minister’s activities for the 67 minutes at Bantu Bonke Agricultural Cooperative will entail cleaning and planting. In addition to handing over seeds and other necessities, Minister Zulu will also be announcing long-term interventions that will enable the Cooperative to grow and expand their market.
The Minister is partnering with the following stakeholders in observing Mandela Day; Vaal University of Technology’s Southern Gauteng Science Park, a strategic technology hub, will assist the co-operative with research and innovation to help grow it; Export Credit and Insurance Corporation ECIC, Gauteng Enteprise Propeller and Rand Water.
Anti-Drug Campaign in Pimville, Soweto
From 11h45, Minister Zulu will be leading an anti-drug campaign in Pimville, Soweto, in partnership with Sakhile Ezweni, a Soweto-based business run by young people. Sakhile Ezweni empowers young people from underprivileged backgrounds who are affected by social ills such as drug and alcohol abuse.
This programme seeks to create awareness of the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse amongst the youth, and to empower young people on how to become entrepreneurs. Minister Zulu will donate bicycles for recovering drug addicts and underprivileged kids to keep them off the streets.
Among other things, Minister Zulu will participate in the sports games (netball, soccer and cycling) with the young people of Soweto. “We will utilise these games to teach young people the value of teamwork and hardwork. More importantly, the games are meant to help them appreciate the value of collective effort”, said Minister Zulu.
Members of the media are invited to Minister Lindiwe Zulu’s Mandela Day programme which will unfold as follows (Saturday, 18 July 2015):
- 8h55 - 10:45 Bantu Bonke Cooperative, Meyerton, Midvaal. For directions, call Ms Andiswa Mosia at 083 295 1688)
- 11h00 - 11h40 VUT Science Park (5 Moshoeshoe Street, Sebokeng. For directions, please call Mr Hendrik van der Merwe at 071 368 1262.
- 11h45 - 12h45 Pimville Community Grounds (Next to Skate Centre), Mndoni Street, Between Zone 6 and 7.
For directions, please call Mr Leeroy Sidambe at 073 523 5591
Minister Zulu said: “Mandela Day is not about symbolic gestures. Neither should it be a public relations exercise. We intend leaving a lasting impact on the people whose lives we will be touching on Saturday”.
RSVP:
Sharlene Packree
Cell: 079 088 3912
Enquiries:
Cornelius Monama
Spokesperson
Cell: 082 578 4063
Email: cmonama@dsbd.gov.za
