NEHAWU wishes former ANC and South African President Nelson Mandela a happy 94rd birthday and we also wish him many more years to live. We also call on all our members and South Africans in general to spend 67 minutes or more of their time in projects that assist vulnerable people and communities in celebration of the Nelson Mandela International day. Public servants should use this opportunity to recommit themselves to serving the people with dedication and commitment in line with the Batho Pele principles.
Nelson Mandela dedicated his life to the struggle for our liberation and even in his later years, he has worked hard to improve the lives of helpless children. Our union calls on all global citizens and businesses to donate to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund that is raising funds to build the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital. There are millions of children in Africa who suffer from life threatening illnesses but have no opportunities of receiving the care that they desperately need.
We must all do this in honour of Mandela who was at the forefront of the struggle for our liberation and has also given the world a legacy of kindness, honesty and reconciliation. This stalwart of our liberation never betrayed the struggle for freedom and did not waver in the face of danger. He sacrificed his life and livelihood in search of justice for the oppressed and vulnerable.
The challenge for our leaders is to ensure that they learn from him and they prioritise service delivery above their personal interests and those of their families. The fight against corruption should be intensified in order to protect the legacy of stalwarts like Mandela and others who gave their all on behalf of the oppressed without expecting anything in return.
Our big test moving forward is to support moral regeneration and also embrace Mandela’s legacy by fighting all forms of injustice like racism, religious and political persecution, human trafficking, child slavery, poverty etc.
Happy birthday Madiba and May you see many more.
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