The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Ms Patricia de Lille spent her 67 minutes of Mandela Day (18 July 2019) at Athlone in Cape Town where she donated 20 computers to Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children.
The Minister, who was accompanied by the staff members in the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure spent the day doing a range of activities with the women and the children at the Centre and some of the activities for the day included:
- Gardening, pruning of branches, lifting of trees, (crowning), mowing of grass, weeding and filling up of open spaces in gardens with plants
- General cleaning
- Unblocking of main sewer and storm water drains
- Laying of the carpet at the day care centre
This year (2019) marks 10 years since the campaign began and this year’s Mandela Day theme is "Action against poverty."
Minister De Lille said that the Department's assistance to the Centre will not end on Mandela Day (18 July 2019), but will continue into the future. She said the Department will allocate 10 Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) participants to provide services such as care, gardening and cleaning. Minister De Lille also said that Mandela Day should be celebrated every day to make a difference in the lives of various communities.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister Ms Noxolo Kiviet commemorated the Mandela Day at iKhaya lo Xolo Old Age Home in Gugulethu, Cape Town. Deputy Minister Kiviet made a commitment that the Department will recruit 30 EPWP participants who will provide the following services to the old age home: administration, cleaning and cooking.
The DPWI staff who accompanied the Deputy Minister, spent the day painting, gardening and cleaning at the old age home. The Department also donated 30 Curtains to the old age home.
In attendance of both departmental Mandela Day events was the Director- General Advocate Sam Vukela who thanked ,the staff of the Department for their contribution in making Mandela Day a success.
