Nelson Mandela Day 2014 | South African Government

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18 July 2014

Every year on 18 July South Africans together with the international community honour our former president and international icon Nelson Mandela. We embrace Madiba’s values and honour his legacy through humanitarian acts and initiatives that acknowledge his never-ending quest to change the world for the better.

The overarching objective of Nelson Mandela International Day is to inspire individuals to take action to help change the world for the better, and in doing so build a global movement for good. Ultimately it seeks to empower communities everywhere to “Take Action; Inspire Change; Make Every Day a Mandela Day.”

President Jacob Zuma in his State of the Nation Address announced that this year Mandela Day would be celebrated by working to clean up the South Africa. The President encouraged all South Africans to dedicate 67 minutes of their time to clean South Africa.

Mandela Day photo gallery

Government departments posted photos of their Mandela Day activities on social media. Here is a sample.

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba paints a school in Limpopo. Photo: Department of Home Affairs

International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and the Diplomatic Corps clean up at Bloed Street Taxi Rank, Pretoria. Photo: DIRCO

Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha cleaning the Mamelodi Magistrate Court. Photo: SA Government News

Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown visits pensioners at Imizamo Yethu Home for the Aged. Photo: Department of Public Enterprises

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa & ministers rolls up their sleeves as cleaning continues at a taxi rank in Mahikeng for Mandela Day. Photo: SA News

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa received a Phaco Machine donated to Mafikeng Hospital by Bureau of Blindness. Photo: Arts and Culture

The Department of Energy visted the Kiddos Day Care Centre in Soweto. Photo: Department of Energy

The Department of Military Veterans handed blankets to World War II veterans. Photo: Department of Military Veterans

Deputy Minister of Public Enterprises, Mr. Bulelani Magwanishe is in De Aar to refurbish aproperty owned by Transnet which will be converted to a youth precinct. Photo: Department of Public Enterprises

Minister Cwele at Mshadza Secondary School where, in collaboration with SITA, he handed over a fully-equipped computer lab. Photo: Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services.

Deputy Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize painting a fence at the Sithandiwe Disabled Care Centre, Alexandra, Johannesburg. Photo: Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services

Residents and Emfuleni Community Works Programme members gather to start cleaning up the Kwa-Masiza Hostel in Sebokeng. Photo: Gauteng Office of the Premier.

Premier Mchunu of KwaZulu-Natal taking the lead in cleaning up the streets of Pietermaritzburg. Photo: Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services

COGTA Minister Pravin Gordhan and Water and Snitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane doing their part at the clean up at a Mahikeng taxi rank. Photo: SA Government News

Department of Communications acting CEO Phumla Williams at an orphanage in Hammanskraal. Photo: GCIS Media Liaison

the dti staff hard at work at the Eersterust Child Welfare Office, in Pretoria. Photo: the dti

More photo s of government activities\s on Mandela Day

Mandela Day videos

President Jacob Zuma's Mandela Day Video Message

Mandela Day advert

Let us clean-up South Africa this Mandela Day

Government encourages all South Africans to dedicate 67 minutes of their time to clean South Africa.
Let us practice a healthier and cleaner way of living by taking care of our environment and cleaning up the areas where they live.
We can beautify our country by getting together for a major clean-up of our cities, town, township, villages and schools.
Litter has a simple solution, it belongs in a bin. South Africa could be litter-free if all 52-million of us place our litter where it belongs

Let us honour the memory of our icon by making this the best Nelson Mandela Day

Nelson Mandela has been one of the great moral and political leaders of our time: an international hero who embarked on a lifelong dedication to the fight against injustice and racial oppression.
Nelson Mandela International Day is dedicated to the service of our fellow human beings by actively helping to change their circumstances.
It is a global call to action for people everywhere to take responsibility for changing the world into a better place.

Mandela’s legacy continues to live on through our actions

We have pledged as a nation under the leadership of Nelson Mandela that never again shall one person be oppressed by another.
We must pursue the dreams and aspirations of Nelson Mandela as we continue to respect the basic human rights; and remain committed to the rule of law and Constitution.
Working together we can move South Africa forward to overcome the challenge of unemployment, poverty, inequality and diseases.
We must all make it our duty to translate our Constitutional guarantees into reality for all South Africans to enjoy.