Latest news with #NelsonMandelaDay
The Star
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
'You gave me a chance, I ran with it' – teen Olympian pays it forward
I nearly didn't make it, says star teenage sprinter Bayanda Walaza " I truly felt afraid of losing my future." Bayanda Walaza, the world's fastest teenager, remembers the moment when he overheard a conversation about what it would take to attend a top school that could nurture his sprinting talent. "It hit me that no matter how hard I worked, without support I might not make it," says the 19-year-old. "I was in a place where I knew I had big dreams, but I didn't quite know how to reach them. Mentally, I was determined, but sometimes it felt like the odds were stacked against me." Everything changed when the Ruta Sechaba Foundation awarded Walaza a scholarship to attend Curro Hazeldean in Pretoria. Now, he's paying it forward by leading the Foundation's Nelson Mandela Day "I Funded A Future" campaign, rallying South Africans to help raise 67 donations and unlock a bonus scholarship for a learner in need. After only weeks under coach Thabo Matebedi, Walaza was shaving tenths of a second off his 100m and 200m personal bests and winning gold in both events at the South Africa Under-20 Championships. By August, the schoolboy had an Olympic silver medal around his neck as a member of South Africa's 4x100m relay team in Paris, and in May this year he ran the 100m in a personal best of 9.94 sec, just twelve-hundredths of a second outside Akani Simbine's national record. Reflecting on his journey from a backyard shack in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, to the pinnacle of youth athletics, Walaza remains a powerful voice in South African sport, inspiring the next generation as he champions access to education and opportunity. "I was in a place where I knew I had big dreams, but I didn't quite know how to reach them," he says. "Emotionally, I was hopeful but also anxious. Academically, I tried hard but it was tough without access to the right resources." Walaza says the idea of a "world-class education" felt like something other children had – "something I would only see on TV or read about. It felt out of reach, like it belonged to a different world." Wave of gratitude Being awarded the scholarship changed that. "I'll never forget that day. I was in total shock. For a second, I thought it might be a mistake. But then it sank in and I just felt this wave of gratitude." The first person Walaza told was his mother, Tholiwe. "We hugged for a long time," he says. "I could see in her eyes that she knew life would be different now." Walaza is one of more than 3 000 young people awarded Ruta Sechaba (Sesotho for "educating the nation") scholarships to Curro schools since 2016. Recipients are selected for their academic and sporting excellence, leadership potential and commitment to making a difference in their communities. "The scholarship gave me confidence," says Walaza. "It showed me that people believed in my potential, even when I didn't fully believe in it myself. It opened the door to a better future. I went from surviving to dreaming big. "I started to believe that I could compete internationally – not just in sport but in life. It also made me realise that success is not just for certain people, it's for anyone who is given a chance." Walaza says it became clear that his personal good fortune represented something bigger when he visited his old primary school in Katlehong. "A young boy told me, 'I want to run like you one day.' That moment hit me hard. I realised I'm not just running for me – I'm running for everyone who's ever been told their dreams are too big." Someone's potential shouldn't be limited by where they were born, he says. "Talent lives everywhere – in every street, every school, every family. All it needs is a chance. "That donation could be the reason a future doctor, engineer or Olympian gets their start. It's not about knowing us, it's about believing in what's possible." After passing matric (with a distinction in isiZulu), Walaza now combines athletics with supply chain management studies at Tshwane University of Technology. What would he say to someone who thinks their contribution to a Ruta Sechaba scholarship won't make a difference? "I'd say, 'I am the difference your contribution made.' Even the smallest act of giving can change the entire direction of a young person's life. "I nearly didn't make it, but I was given a chance and I ran with it – literally and figuratively." • Donate to the Ruta Sechaba Foundation at .
eNCA
3 days ago
- General
- eNCA
Cycling for life-changing education projects
JOHANNESBURG - The Legacy Ride4Hope is one of several initiatives mandated by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, aimed at driving meaningful social impact. This year, nearly 100 cyclists took part in the event, riding 45 kilometres through the Cradle of Humankind in celebration of Nelson Mandela Day. The ride was not just symbolic it was held to raise funds for life-changing education projects across the country.
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Health
- The Citizen
67 Blankets' KnitWits bring joy to cancer patients
In celebration of Nelson Mandela Day, members of the West Rand's 67 Blankets initiative gathered at Life Flora's Oncology Centre to spread warmth and love to patients undergoing cancer treatment. The group, known as KnitWits, distributed handmade blankets and scarves, each bearing a special message that reads, 'I am not lost. If you are cold and need me, please take me. With love, 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day'. The blankets and scarves were placed at the waiting area, and inside the treatment room, giving patients an opportunity to pick any colour that fascinates them. The event was part of the initiative's annual Secret Scarf Mission, which aims to bring joy and warmth to those in need. Founder Carolyn Steyn of 67 Blankets said, 'The 10th anniversary of 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day is a truly remarkable milestone. I could never have imagined the incredible momentum our Secret Scarves initiative would gain over the years. 'Over the past decade, our KnitWits have lovingly crafted and distributed thousands of scarves, each one a thread of hope and warmth for someone in need. This campaign has not only warmed bodies but also hearts, making a profound difference in communities across South Africa and inspiring a movement of kindness that continues to grow,' she said. The patients appreciated the scarves and blankets, and had big smiles on their faces.
Mail & Guardian
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mail & Guardian
Taking back the Soweto night with Nomsa Mazwai and Rapsody
#FunkItImWalking: Nomsa Mazwai organised the walk that started from the Soweto Theatre. Photos: Arthur Dlamini This past Friday I walked for nearly 3km through the streets of Jabavu in Soweto from 8pm to 10pm on a winter night in July. That might sound crazy, but it was actually a lot of fun. I was part of a group of 100 people and along the way we chanted and sang with Karabo Ya Morena, a youth choir from Soweto that were part of our parade. At the front of the crowd, leading us through the streets and keeping the energy up, was Nomsa Mazwai, the originator of Soweto Night Out. At every stop she would yell out 'Funk it, I'm walking!' and the crowd would yell back 'Let's walk to freedom!' What were we thinking, you might ask? Well, partly it was a unique way to celebrate Nelson Mandela Day. But it was also a chance to meet American Grammy award-winning musician and respected emcee Rapsody, who was in the country working on her next album and who joined in on every step of the way. For most of us, the journey started in Rosebank, where we boarded a bus courtesy of the organisers, which was really appreciated because it muted any worries about transport from Soweto back to town, especially after a long night out. We arrived at Soweto Theatre where we gathered on the front steps and enjoyed a welcome performance by the youth choir while people clamoured to get their photo opportunities with our illustrious American guest — including yours truly, because there's nothing wrong with pausing work mode to have a fan moment. After that we started our walk, accompanied by members of the community policing forum, walking up and down the Jabavu streets with white banners with 'Soweto Night Out Tours' written on them at the back and front of the procession. 'What we like to say about ourselves is that we are an alternative protest,' says Mazwai. 'When you look at us in the street, we look like a protest, but we're not. We're a business. Everybody there is making money. We're solving the unemployment crisis in South Africa. We're solving the crime crisis in South Africa. It's a drop in the ocean. We are not government. 'If we were the government, it would be far greater impact, but we are not. So we are doing what we can, where we can, in the ways that we can do it. And this is just one of the ways that we do it. 'And we are a performance to the community of the possibilities of safety because we've shown communities that there is an economic value to safety and we've unlocked it for the communities that we work in.' The origin of these walking tours, which Mazwai now hosts for paid groups of at least 20 people on request, stretches back for more than a decade, when she returned to South Africa after living abroad for years in places such as New York in the United States and Newcastle in the United Kingdom. 'I love walking, and I've lived in other parts of the world where I walked everywhere, any time of day, all the time,' says Mazwai. 'And when I came back, I realised I was feeling down because I wasn't getting to walk.' So she said, 'Fuck it, I'm walking!' Mazwai even wrote a Facebook post about how she wasn't going to let anything stop her from walking around as she did when she lived abroad. It was a friend who encouraged her to make the slogan more child-friendly and so she started saying 'Funk it, I'm walking!' instead. At first it was an activist movement that would mobilise walks in support of various causes such as for water with the World Wide Fund for Nature. But when Mazwai left her job at the Soweto Theatre, where she had spent five years as the general manager, she decided to set her mind to building #FunkItImWalking into a business. Mazwai put years of research into developing it into a sustainable social enterprise, drawing on her background in economics as a Fulbright alumna with an MA in international political economy and development from Fordham University in the US. 'It took a while but eventually we zeroed in on what our mission or intention was. And it's that #FunkItImWalking aims to make it safe for a woman to walk at any time of day, in any condition. And how it does that is by thinking about sustainable businesses that enable women's safety. 'Because I am an activist woman, I have been part of the marches and the seminars where we call the president to come and account. I've been part of all of those things and they've yielded zero results. The talking has yielded nothing. There'll be a law that's passed. Then they say they're opening centres but the material condition on the ground has not changed. 'And I think for myself, I believe that's because South Africa decided to be a neoliberal country and it decided to follow that economic policy. That economic policy puts capitalism at its centre. It sees capitalism as the answer. And capitalism puts money above all else. And so it became very clear to me that if I wanted to enjoy safety as a woman, it had to make economic sense,' says Mazwai. After leaving Soweto Theatre, we first made our way to Kwa-Khaya Lendaba, the late great Credo Mutwa's cultural village. Once we entered the compound it was so dark we had to use our phone lights to guide our steps. I asked my friend if we weren't absolutely sure we weren't being led to a mass sacrifice. Seth Mazibuko, a June 16 Soweto uprising leader, talks to Grammy winner Rapsody Fortunately, there were no sacrifices, and it turned out to be worth the journey. Once we got to the centre of the compound we sat around the bonfire and listened to Zamalek Giza, a rasta sage, tell us about the life of Credo Mutwa and the fables about creation and the universe. After that we hit the road again, walking past the notorious Jabulani flats. 'The Jabulani flats are one of the most dangerous parts of Soweto,' says Mazwai. 'I'm sure people have read about them a lot in the news. There's always drama there, but there's never drama when we do our night tours because our CPOs [community policing officers] are within the community and the community understands the value that we're bringing into that community. 'Our night walks are incident free to this point. In addition to that, we also work with the Seth Mazibuko Foundation, which is a heritage and youth development-focused foundation. So where we are very focused on women's safety, they are very focused on youth employment as well as heritage. And so working with Seth, we then started incorporating heritage sites into the routes. Now, because of the way communities have welcomed our work, the museums also came on board and they open at night.' We made our way to the June 16 Memorial Acre, which opened after hours just for us. And then finally we walked to Native Rebels, a restaurant and our last stop of the night. It was there where we sat down to watch the main attraction —Rapsody in conversation with the legendary activist Seth Mazibuko. While some may have initially thought Rapsody would be the one answering questions, it turned out she was interviewing Mazibuko. Their conversation touched on a variety of themes including activism, youth engagement, Pan-Africanism and the future of South Africa. 'I see Rapsody as a voice of the youth,' says Mazwai. 'She has built a career that is very conscious, very grounded, and wholesome, and I love that. And so I believed that for Rapsody to level up, she really needs to hear from somebody who changed the trajectory of an entire nation. 'I feel like myself and Rapsody are soldiers on the same battlefield, fighting on the same side, you know, for the lives and the livelihoods of young black people and for black people and brown people all around the world. 'And so when I spoke to her, I said, 'You know, Rapsody, a lot of young people don't know Seth Mazibuko, and you don't know Seth Mazibuko. And so I want you to ask questions that you would ask Seth Mazibuko. ''I don't want to tell you what to ask him, because what I want you to do is to ask him the questions that young people in South Africa are afraid to ask because they don't want to look stupid.' I wanted young people to watch their hero not know and be so willing to know and be so fearless in asking because Rapsody has that skill of not being afraid to ask. She wants to know.' The night ended at about midnight, and I boarded the bus back to Rosebank feeling physically tired but spiritually uplifted and inspired. It was the kind of night that reminded me what's possible when people come together with purpose, creativity and a little bit of courage. In a country where safety is too often a privilege, not a right, a night out reminded me that joy, community and economic opportunity can carve out new paths through even the most neglected corners of our cities. Walking through Soweto in the company of song, story and solidarity, I felt like we weren't just remembering the past. We were actively imagining a better future. And for a few beautiful hours, it felt within reach.
The Citizen
5 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Step up in style this Funky Socks Day
PNA Funky Socks Day, an annual nationwide fundraiser designed to uplift South African and Namibian communities one funky sock at a time, takes place on September 12. Now in its fourth year, Funky Socks Day brings together customers, schools and businesses to support four vital non-profit organisations, namely Breadline Africa, the Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa (Choc), Rally to Read and Matla a Bana, by raising R2.5m. The fundraising campaign runs from Nelson Mandela Day (July 18) until September 12. Funky Socks Day urges the nation to show off their sticker and wear their funkiest socks in support of a meaningful cause. 'PNA Funky Socks Day is more than a fundraiser; it's a movement,' says Antoinette Kleyn, PNA advertising and promotions manager. 'We invite everyone to step up in style and make a meaningful difference. Together, one sticker – and one pair of socks – at a time, we can brighten children's futures.' 'At PNA, we believe a small step in funky socks can create giant leaps in changing lives,' adds Herman Botha, senior executive: product and marketing. A fun step towards real change For just R10 (South Africa) and N$10 (Namibia), people can buy their sticker in-store at any PNA. Companies and teams can also get involved by ordering bulk stickers (minimum 100) online. Breadline Africa Breadline Africa's mission is to create safe educational spaces where children can dream, play and learn – one child, one school, one hope-filled space at a time. With funds raised through Funky Socks Day 2025, educational resource packs will be delivered to children across some of South Africa's most under-resourced communities. For many children, this will be the first time they have a pencil case and workbook, a small but powerful step towards building pride and confidence in their learning. Marion Wagner, the CEO of Breadline Africa, says: 'Through this partnership, we aim to bring learning to life. These funds will help us provide educational packs to 50 early childhood development centres, enabling educators and bright young minds.' Choc Choc's mission is to walk alongside children and teenagers, and their families, many from under-served communities, through every stage of their journey. The organisation offers practical support, such as providing care bags, accommodation and transport, which helps ease the challenges that come with a cancer diagnosis. One of Choc's most inspiring initiatives is the iPad Learning Programme, developed with iSchoolAfrica, which gives patients tools to continue learning during lengthy treatments and also joy and a distraction in an otherwise challenging time. Hedley Lewis, the CEO of Choc, says: 'Choc is proud to stand alongside PNA once again. Every sticker sold brings us closer to providing essential digital learning tools for children undergoing treatment.' Rally to Read Rally to Read brings the gift of literacy to life in South Africa's most remote and under-resourced communities. With support from campaigns like Funky Socks Day, they can empower teachers and parents to become champions of education. Through the delivery of essential learning materials, teacher training and take-home literacy kits, Rally to Read opens doors to brighter futures for thousands of children who would otherwise be left behind. Pam Richardson, the chairperson of Rally to Read, says: 'Literacy is freedom. With this support, we can expand teacher training and equip parents to support reading at home, especially in under-resourced communities.' Matla a Bana Matla a Bana stands beside some of South Africa's most vulnerable children, those who have survived abuse. The organisation supports officers of the law who investigate child rape cases. Campaign funds will see 500 comfort packs provided to child victims during their first, often traumatic, visit to a police station or hospital. Each pack contains essentials like toiletries, snacks and a soft toy. These small, thoughtful items bring a sense of safety, dignity and reassurance in a moment of fear and help children to feel seen and supported while being comforted. Monique Strydom, the founder of Matla a Bana, says: 'Each comfort pack we distribute offers hope, dignity and care to children who have faced unthinkable trauma. Thanks to Funky Socks Day, we can reach 500 more children this year.' Namibian footprint Several Namibian schools will also be selected by PNA to receive educational resource packs. Support the campaign You can support the campaign in various ways: Purchase limited-edition custom socks, which are available from PNA in two exclusive designs. Only 1 000 pairs of each design are being produced. Order customised socks: Corporate teams, schools and other groups can order customised socks via PNA's website (minimum order: 50 pairs). Each pair sold comes with a free Funky Socks Day sticker. Order by August 28. Funky Socks Day stickers: Buy your sticker at PNA or online. Wear your funky socks on September 12, post your pics using the hashtags #FunkySocksDay2025 #RockYourFunkySocks #PNAFunkySocksDay The campaign aims to raise R2.5m by September 12, and an additional R500 000 by February 2026 to drive long-term impact. Track the campaign's fundraising progress live. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on
