Aberdeen residents celebrate Mandela Day
ABERDEEN — At least six separate events were held on Mandela Day in Aberdeen.
First to get started was a project organised by the staff of Superstore, who took three huge pots of soup to the Masikhane Clinic first thing in the morning to warm the patients and staff. Buks van Niekerk was responsible for making the soup, and Shaun Saaiman, Gavin Brits, Chandre Jackson and Maritza de Beer cheerfully ladled out one hundred cups of soup, which were much appreciated by those waiting in the cold. Riaan Barnard delivered the staff and soup to the Clinic, before returning to man the store with owner Umelda van Rensburg. “We thought of this a few months ago, as many of the patients come to the store after visiting the clinic, and they are usually cold and hungry,” said Maritza.
As she does every year, 85-year-old Catherine Frazenburg of Loutusville, set up a soup kitchen at the home she shares with her daughter Yvonne in Jones Street for local youngsters. Children ranging in age from just one year to 15 years gathered from early on at the ladies’ home, all eagerly waiting to see what “Ouma” would have for them this year.
They proudly held up a banner and sang Happy Birthday to Madiba before tucking into their soup.
A group of workers from the municipality undertook to give a facelift to the house of Henry Magewu of Sithandiwe Street, Thembalesizwe. In his early 90s, he is one of the township’s oldest residents. The team of workers, including Speaker Cllr Thembisa Nonnies, painted the outside walls, cleared the yard, and inside the house.
A sports day was organised at the Thembalesizwe Community Hall by a combined group from Social Development, the Victim Support Centre, and Sports and Recreation under the leadership of Masterboy Blaai. Over forty people enjoyed games of touch rugby, netball, tennis and boxing. Soup and bread, very welcome after the morning’s activities, were served to all who participated.
Cllr Eldrige Ruiters and his team delivered packs of fish wors to the Masikhane Clinic staff and patients. They then cooked up hot meals, using the fish wors and delivered these to needy families in Lotusville and Thembalesizwe. Cllr Rudy Jacobs and his team delivered fish wors to Alwynhof Old Age Home, the Aberdeen Hospital and elderly residents in town.