67 Minutes that remind us what it means to be South African
Simple acts like cleaning, donating and volunteering still make a difference.
The 67-minute tradition reflects the value of giving back with intention.
Each year on 18 July, South Africans pause for 67 minutes to honour Nelson Mandela's 67 years of service to the country. But as the years pass since Madiba's death in 2013, a question comes up: Is Mandela Day still relevant?
If you ask those taking part on the ground, the answer is a resounding yes.
From city pavements to rural community halls, people continue to come together in the spirit of service – not for the photo op, but because work still needs to be done.
Cleaning, refurbishing, painting, feeding schemes and school drives remain central to the day's activities. For some, Mandela Day is one of the few moments in the year when communities feel seen and supported.
Others see the day as deeply symbolic, a quiet rallying cry for unity and shared purpose. It's the idea that one person's hour of time can ripple out into something meaningful – a spruced-up school wall; a warm blanket for a winter night; a cleaned-up street that makes people feel proud of where they live.
This is not performative goodwill, it's the lived legacy of someone who believed in forgiveness, dignity and nation-building.
Of course, Mandela Day has its critics. Some argue it has become more symbolic than substantial, and that 67 minutes is not enough.
Whether you are painting classrooms, packing parcels or planting a seedling, those 67 minutes are not just about tribute, they are about continuity, about showing up for each other and about reminding ourselves of the country we are still trying to build.
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