On Friday, 18 July, joyful gogos danced with rhythm and life, many bravely stepping into the spotlight as models. They redefined beauty, age, and self-expression with undeniable flair at a special Nelson Mandela International Day event hosted by Tongaat Hulett.
In keeping with Nelson Mandela’s enduring youthfulness despite his age, Tongaat Hulett celebrated the wisdom and energy of elders by treating them to a fun-filled day of activities. The event was held at the Darnall Country Club and the hall was filled with peals of laughter and shrieks of delight from older members of the Darnall and Maidstone small-scale and land reform grower communities, who are part of Tongaat Hulett’s sustainability and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
With various planned activities, this heartwarming event paid tribute to the wisdom, resilience, and contribution to society of older folk. Mandela Day encourages people around the world to dedicate 67 minutes of their time to community service, honouring Mandela’s 67 years of public service. The day is a call to action for individuals and organisations to engage in activities that uplift their communities and promote positive change.
Snethemba Kunene, socio-economic development manager at Tongaat Hulett, shared that Mandela Day serves as a reminder to pause and consider others, especially those less fortunate, and to perform meaningful acts of kindness. “This year’s Mandela Day event focused on creating memory-making experiences for seniors and encouraged them to actively participate in dance challenges and modelling. They also shared their fondest moments, experiences and had fun whilst doing so. Intergenerational activities fostered connections between the seniors and younger Tongaat Hulett employees who were present, promoting understanding, kindness and respect. Through the Mandela Day activities, we are proud to have played a small part in recognizing the value of sharing kindness and reimagining a sweet future for all,” said Kunene.
Tongaat Hulett Limited CEO, Gavin Dalgleish, spoke to this year’s Mandela Day theme: “It’s still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity. Mandela’s contribution to world peace efforts, education development and poverty alleviation, however, encourages us to do more when it comes to ethics, sustainability, and social impact. Mandela Day commits us to do our best whilst building a culture where we live our values and act with humanity and accountability in everything we do.”
Nathi Msweli, Maidstone Mill Group board chairperson, expressed gratitude to Tongaat Hulett and the grower communities for honouring Madiba’s legacy through acts that embodied compassion and kindness. Small-scale growers sponsored breakfast and lunch for the attendees, while Tongaat Hulett presented sugar packs, blankets, and hats to all the senior citizens.
