Cape Town - DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko and colleagues rolled up their sleeves on Thursday to help out at the Othandweni Family Centre in Soweto as part of Mandela Day.
“The Democratic Alliance leadership team spent time reading to the children of the home, playing games with them, and helping the staff to clean the facilities,” she said in a statement. The centre looks after abused children.
Paying tribute to former president Nelson Mandela, Mazibuko told the children: “As a younger man Nelson Mandela gave up his career in order to take up the fight against apartheid and racial injustice. In so doing, he sacrificed his own freedom.”
She said he had shown courage and humanity, which had set the tone for reconciliation.
The spirit of public service, and “putting others before ourselves”, should also be honoured on this day, Mandela's 95th birthday.
“We cannot all be Nelson Mandela, but we can all strive to improve the lot of our fellow citizens. These acts together are a force for the reconciliation he has strived for during his life, and they alter our humanity for the good,” Mazibuko said.
Sapa