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Celebrating Mandela Day: Media organisations come together to support District Six homeless shelter

WESLEY FORD|Updated

Representatives of Independent Online (IOL) and Cape Community Media (CCM), along with volunteers and members of the District Six Haven Night Shelter, at the Mandela Day sandwich drive.

Image: Wesley Ford

Representatives of Independent Online (IOL) and Cape Community Media (CCM) literally spread early Mandela Day joy by making more than 200 sandwiches for the District Six Haven Night Shelter on Thursday, July 17.

The organisations received support from Pick ‘n Pay Simon's Town, which donated 50 loaves of bread, while Electraholic, a local electrical company, donated eight litres of jam and six litres of peanut butter.

More than a dozen volunteers, including representatives of the two media organisations and sponsors, donated their time to make sandwiches to be served to the homeless in the area.

CCM acting editor, Yolande Du Preez said CCM decided to 'literally spread the love’ for Mandela Day by joining hands with the Haven Night Shelter to make sandwiches for the homeless.

“We are proud to be part of this project that uplifts our community,” she said.

IOL editor Lance Witten said Mandela Day is important.

"It helps us to keep in the spirit of what Madiba would have wanted, to play our part in building our nation, it is something we should continue doing throughout the year and not just for 67 minutes on July 18, but something we need to keep doing, to keep giving back to our community," he said.

The Haven Night Shelter CEO, Pastor Shaddie Valayadum, said he was pleased that the organisations could assist ahead of Mandela Day. He said the sandwiches would support the shelter’s dignity project, which fed nearly 2 000 homeless people in the District Six and City Bowl areas over the past week.

The need is great, people are hungry, and these sandwiches can serve as a supplement to the meals we provide – something they can take with them,” he said.

Jade Africa, from Electraholic said she was glad that they could support this initiative.

“We support many charity initiatives, and as I am from Woodstock, I am glad to support one which is close to home,” she said.

General manager of Pick ‘n Pay Harbour Bay Mall, Dirk Coetzee, said it is always good to help the community.

“One of our values is to have good social responsibility and we like to give back to the community,” he said.

Members of IOL and CCM preparing the sandwiches in the shelter’s kitchen.

Image: Wesley Ford