SA to unite in song to mark Mandela Day

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From left to right: Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga; artist John Adams; Gavin Koppe, from Shout SA; Terry Volkwyn CEO Prime Media; and Achmat Dangor, chief executive of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, at the launch of the special Happy Birthday recording for Mandela Day. Picture: Chris Collingridge

Yesterday – with one month to go to Madiba’s birthday – saw the launch of the Happy Birthday recording by Lead SA and a call to action.

July 18 is International Mandela Day, a day on which people in SA and around the world are encouraged to volunteer 67 minutes of their time to community service in honour of the former president.

This year the Pretoria News will be participating in the event with a project to assist Jopie Fourie Primary and its satellite nursery school, Inkululeko Day Care centre in Salvokop.

In this we are delighted to be partnered by Talk Radio 702’s Money Show.

Don’t miss the Pretoria News on Thursday for details of the project and how you, the reader, can get involved.

The projects have the blessing of the Department of Basic Education and the Shout Foundation, Proudly South African and Brand SA.

Panyaza Lesufi, of the Department of Basic Education, said the call had gone out not only to honour Madiba in song, with the singing of the special Happy Birthday song, but to commit to do 67 minutes of community service in his name on July 18.

“Madiba’s legacy is one of active citizenship. Stand up, do the right thing and make a difference,” said Terry Volkwyn, CEO of Primedia, a partner in Lead SA. “Whatever you do – whether it’s painting the walls of a crèche, reading to someone or picking up litter – nothing is too big or too small,” Volkwyn said.

The birthday song was recorded on May 29 at Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton.

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o download the birthday song, SMS the word MADIBA to 44009. A return SMS will send you the link to download the audio. Standard rates and data costs apply. The video of the recording is on YouTube. Search for Sing for Madiba or go to www.singformadiba.com.

l SA Rugby and the Springboks, together with spectators, will sing Happy Birthday to Madiba during half time at the test match in Port Elizabeth on Saturday. Football fans will sing before matches in Durban on July 18 and Cape Town on July 21 – when Manchester United play in SA as part of the birthday celebrations.

Lead SA and partners would like schools and businesses to get behind the drive. – Staff Reporter