On 18 July, South Africa and the world mark Nelson Mandela International Day. It is a day recognised by the United Nations and observed in countries across the globe, yet its heart remains here at home. It is a day that asks something simple of each of us: to give 67 minutes of our time in service of others, one minute for every year of public service given by Nelson Mandela.
The Municipal Workers Retirement Fund extends warm wishes to all our members, your families and your communities on this special day.
Mandela Day is not about grand gestures. It is about small acts of care, done willingly. Reading to a child. Sharing a meal with someone who needs one. Cleaning a shared space. Visiting an elderly neighbour. Helping where help is needed, in whatever way you can. These moments, multiplied across millions of people, become something far greater than any single act.
Our members understand this better than most. Every day, in municipalities across the country, you keep communities running. You maintain the services that families depend on, often quietly and without recognition. In many ways, the spirit of Mandela Day is the spirit you bring to your work all year round. Service to others is not a once-a-year event for municipal workers. It is a calling.
This Mandela Day, we encourage you to take part in whatever way suits your circumstances. Join a community initiative in your area. Support a local school, clinic, or shelter. Or simply reach out to someone who could use a helping hand. If 67 minutes is not possible, give what you can. The value lies in the giving, not the measuring.
At the Fund, our commitment to you carries the same spirit. We are here to protect what you have worked for, so that the years ahead of you are secure. Caring for our members and their dependants is our form of service, and we do not take it lightly.
From all of us at the Municipal Workers Retirement Fund, we wish you a meaningful Nelson Mandela Day.
