Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts leads Nelson Mandela Day activities in Pretoria, 31 Jul

The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Bernice Swarts, will lead the Nelson Mandela Day activities on Thursday, 31 July 2025, at the Pretoria National Botanical Gardens.

Nelson Mandela Day is an international day recognised by the United Nations, in which people around the world are invited to participate in a day of giving back to their communities by carrying out and supporting acts of service and kindness.

This year’s Nelson Mandela International Day is celebrated under the theme: “It’s still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity.” As such, the Foundation has also encouraged global citizens to participate in the activities in line with the following hashtags – #PlantForMandela #itisinyourhands.

As part of Mandela Day activities, Deputy Minister Swarts will lead tree planting as well as food gardening activities in Tshwane (Pretoria). The focus will be to create awareness on the importance of trees and on giving some time to uplift areas in need in line with the objectives and principles of International Mandela Day.

The Nelson Mandela Day activities will commence with Deputy Minister Swarts hosting the ambassadors and high commissioners of various countries at the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) garden in Pretoria. The engagement will highlight the department’s efforts under the National Greening Programme, which also serves as the foundation for the One Million Tree Campaign – an initiative to plant one million trees on 24 September 2025.

Following the engagement with ambassadors and high commissioners, Deputy Minister Swarts will lead tree planting activities at Mamelodi East Prevocational School – a school of learners with special needs/orphanage in Mamelodi East. The tree planting activities at the school will be done in collaboration with the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality where a number of trees will be donated and planted by dignitaries and the school learners to inculcate the notion of establishment of gardens to address issues of food security through the National Greening Programme.

Deputy Minister Swarts and the dignitaries will also visit the Jewish National Fund – SA Development Centre (Mamelodi) to plant more trees.

Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the launch as follows:

Part One – Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts hosts ambassadors and high commissioners
Date: Thursday, 31 July 2025
Time: 09h30
Venue: African Pride Café, Pretoria National Botanical Garden, 2 Cassoni Avenue, Brummeria, Pretoria

Part Two – Visit to Mamelodi East Prevocational School
Date: 31 July 2025
Time: 13h00
Venue: Mamelodi East Prevocational School, Muzi Street, Mamelodi East, Pretoria

Part Three – Visit to Jewish National Fund – SA Development Centre
Date: 31 July 2025
Time: 14h00
Venue: Jewish National Fund – SA Development Centre, 20202 Serapeng Street, Mamelodi East

Enquiries:
Michael Mokoena
Cell: 082 906 5795
Email: mmokoena@dffe.gov.za

Banele Mabena
Cell: 066 420 0144
Email: smabena@dffe.gov.za

Peter Mbelengwa
Cell: 082 611 8197
Email: pmbelengwa@dffe.gov.za

#ServiceDeliveryZA