Celebrating Mandela Day 2025 in JB Marks: Acts of Service and Stories of Hope
- Karen Scheepers
- Jul 21
- 3 min read
As the world paused to honour the legacy of Nelson Mandela on 18 July 2025, the JB Marks Local Municipality came together in a powerful show of community-driven compassion, development, and unity. From painting classrooms to feeding the vulnerable and bringing joy to young children, this year’s theme echoed in every ward: "67 Minutes of Impact, A Lifetime of Change."
A Joyful Day in Tshing: Bringing Stories to Life
The Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture, led by MMC Cllr. P. Mtshali, hosted a vibrant celebration at Tshing Community Library with the little ones from New Life Day Care Centre in Ventersdorp.
Children were treated to:
Interactive storytelling
Dramatic puppet shows
Sing-along action songs
Playful book reading sessions
This initiative was more than just fun, it was a step toward nurturing a love for learning in a community that understands the value of early childhood development.
Serving Dignity: Soup and Smiles at the Landfill
Guided by MMC Cllr. Mantwa Matilda Kasale, the Department of Community Services honoured Mandela’s spirit with humility, spending 67 minutes serving hot soup and bread to waste pickers at the Potchefstroom Landfill Site.
This gesture, led in partnership with Ms. Zippora Vavane, acknowledged the hard and often invisible work of these informal recyclers who form an essential part of the local economy.
Greening Education: Mayor and MEC Join Forces
At Fikadibeng Primary School in Klipdrift, Executive Mayor Cllr. Gaba Thithiba ka Qhele and North West MEC for Public Works and Roads, Sempe Elizabeth Mokua, joined hands in a powerful show of leadership by:
Preparing a vegetable garden
Painting classrooms, hallways, and ablution facilities
Beautifying the school environment
Building and Giving: Ward 30 in Action
Ward 30, under Cllr. Lumkile Links and Cllr. Modibedi Modise, was abuzz with Mandela Month energy:
House renovations at 541 Manaka Street
Food parcel donation to Mr. Seun Morake in Makweteng Section
Window installations for child-headed households and pensioners
These efforts showcased how local councillors are stepping up in their communities, not just by talking, but by doing.
Wards at Work: A Municipality United
Across the region, multiple wards took action in service of their communities:
Ward 18: Painted a house for a child-headed family
Ward 27: Built a shack for a young unemployed mother
Ward 29: Cleaned illegal dumping sites
Ward 33: Renovated houses for the elderly and installed utilities
Department Transversal Services: Hosted clinics, food gardens, and youth sport initiatives at Tshwaranang Disability Centre
From hand-drawn hopscotch to potch champions playing indigenous soccer, Mandela Day became a vibrant canvas painted with service and hope.
The Spirit Lives On
Mandela Day in JB Marks wasn't just a calendar event, it was a living embodiment of Madiba’s legacy. Leaders, departments, councillors, and residents all took hands to build, feed, serve, clean, paint, and uplift. Whether through song or soup, storytelling or shovels, each act was a stitch in the fabric of a stronger, kinder community.
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others.” – Nelson Mandela
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