/ 17 July 2009

SA gears up for Mandela Day

South Africa’s last apartheid president, FW De Klerk, has added his voice to the birthday wishes for his successor, the country’s first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela, who turns 91 on Saturday.

”I would like to take this opportunity to convey my warmest best wishes to former president Nelson Mandela on his 91st birthday,” De Klerk said on Friday.

”Mr Mandela has made a unique contribution, not only to the establishment of our constitutional democracy, but also to the cause of national reconciliation and nation-building.

”It was an honour for me to have been able to work with Mr Mandela during the early 1990s in the process that led to the adoption of the interim constitution and our first democratic elections in April 1994.

”Although we were political opponents — and although our relationship was often stormy — we were always able to come together at critical moments to resolve the many crises that arose during the negotiation process.”

De Klerk said that even during retirement, Mandela continued to be a force for reconciliation and social justice — ”not only in South Africa, but throughout the world”.

”My wife, Elita, and the FW de Klerk Foundation join me and countless millions of people throughout the world in wishing him continued happiness and good health in the year that lies ahead.”

On how he would spend the 67 minutes that the Nelson Mandela Foundation asked be set aside for community service on Saturday, De Klerk said he would think of ways that his two foundations could make a positive contribution.

His FW de Klerk Foundation works to support the Constitution, channels funds to handicapped children and promotes inter-community relations; and his Global Leadership Foundation ”provides discreet support to governments dealing with difficult transitional challenges”.

‘Making a difference’
Spring cleaning a local school, playing with children in an orphanage and donating blood are some of the things people are planning to do to with their 67 minutes for Mandela on Saturday.

Representatives of the Gauteng Legislature plan to visit the St Joseph Child Care Centre and Khutsong Zanele Mtshali Disability Centre on Friday.

”Both of these areas have interesting stories of orphans and farm children who have stood up under difficult conditions and are making a difference in the lives of their families and communities around them.

”We are talking about kids that have arisen to become qualified woodworkers, carpenters, cooks, singers and sports personalities,” the legislature said.

They will help with bathing, cooking, feeding and cleaning at the centres.

The South African Qualifications Authority plans to spend its 67 minutes reading stories at two homes for children with HIV/Aids.

Two publishers, Maskew-Miller Longman and Best Books, have donated books for these homes.

The South African National Defence Force’s national ceremonial guard band will treat passers-by at Pretoria’s Church Square to a show of military and popular tunes from 10am on Friday.

Staff at the KwaZulu-Natal regional office of the department of mineral resources will spend their time at the new Princess Nombuso Early Childhood Development Centre to help clean the premises, clear rubble and plant trees. — Sapa