Hillside remembers Mandela

R100 million Mandela Centenary campaign gets big backing from South32

South32 has thrown its weight behind the Relate Trust’s campaign which involves the sale of special bracelets in honour of what would have been Nelson Mandela’s 100th year.

The company has bought thousands of the Mandela Centenary Relate bracelets as gifts for employees, and the proceeds will benefit two main causes: creating jobs for the braceletmakers; and funding for the Mandela Library Project.

The Mandela Centenary campaign was launched at the end of March this year, in partnership with Madiba’s granddaughters, HRH Princess Zaziwe Manaway and HRH Princess Swati Dlamini Mandela, and the Mandela Library Project.

Since the Library Project was founded in 2011, 100 libraries have been created in schools that service ‘at-risk’ communities.

Each library typically services 1 000 children per year, with the library being active for at least 15 years - which means that one library will work with 15 000 children on average.The libraries are also open to the surrounding communities and provide valuable resources for teachers. South32 Chief Operating Officer, Mike Fraser, said that the Mandela Centenary initiative supports the company’s commitment to making a difference in communities.

‘Every year our people come together to help alleviate poverty by taking time out to serve and assist various charitable organisations in our communities.

‘We are proud to support this cause which makes a difference and improves lives now

- and for generations to come - by giving our employees a gift that honours Nelson Mandela’s centenary.’

“It is therefore a great privilege to share with you in the official opening of a plant which holds so much potential for our country. The ultimate yardstick by which we must measure our efforts is the extent to which they promote sustained economic...

Sindi Mpanza with her Mandela bracelet