Nelson Mandela International Day (or Mandela Day) is an annual international day in honour of President Mandela which encourages all global citizens to take responsibility of improving each other’s lives and addressing the world’s social injustices.
Minister of Basic Education Mrs Angie Motshekga announced in the Education Budget Speech on 06 May 2015 that one of the key priorities of the department is the focus on Reading Promotion and provision of Library and Information Services. There are planned activities aimed at Getting the Nation to Read and to stimulate its implementation, the Minister proclaimed a 1000 school libraries campaign.
The DBE hosted the Ministerial Breakfast on 2 July 2015, to give impetus to the 1000 School Library Campaign and Mandela Month reading events. The Minister of Basic Education has also held provincial roadshows to promote the National Reading Campaign.
The National Reading Campaign gives effect to the many reading promotion and library provisioning initiatives which include, amongst others, the refurbishment of at least 1000 school libraries per annum, the implementation of reading programmes, the involvement of communities in promoting reading. These includes the provision of various models of libraries like trolley libraries and 18 new school libraries as well as the provision of human resources through a programme with a bias for the youth.
The Minister Angie Motshekga, will lead proceedings at the Mandela Day celebrations in Mvezo, Eastern Cape, supported by the Minister of Transport Ms Dipuo Peters. In line with the 1000 libraries a year the Minister is championing, the DBE will make books donated by Via Afrika available for the school’s library and will assist the province and district in setting it up. This event will also be used as a launching pad for the 1000 libraries campaign.
The Department of Transport, through its entity the Airports Company of South Africa, will contribute computers with software, Wireless Network Cards and Library books, a gesture meant to get the nation to read.
Minister of Environmental Affairs Ms Edna Molewa will lead the Drop All and Read campaign which is a precursor to the 1000 libraries launch. Its purpose is to mobilise stakeholders in education and society around promoting reading and literacy as well as the role that school and community libraries are playing. Minister Molewa will lead the walk about through Mogale City from Chief Mogale to Mogale City Library with stop-overs at selected places to deliver the donated books.
The National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) led by Sizwe Nxasana, has also partnered with the Department of Basic Education in an initiative aimed at promoting the culture of reading. Saturday, 18 July will see volunteers from the NECT, the Limpopo Department of Education and the Mookgopong Local Municipality head out to visit Dikubu Primary School in Mookgopong and will spend the day reading.
Parents and members of the community are invited to attend the event and demonstrate the power and importance of reading and the role it plays in the education and development of our youngsters and the ways in which it can enrich the lives of parents themselves. The community is encouraged to bring their favourite books and any other books they would like to donate.
Members of the media are invited to attend the Mandela Day Activities as follows:
Mandela Day in Mvezo, Eastern Cape:
Date: Saturday, 18 July 2015
Time: 09h00
Venue: Makgatho Lewanika Primary School, Mvezo, Eastern Cape
Mandela Day in Mogale City, Gauteng:
Date: Saturday, 18 July 2015
Time: 09h00
Venue: Start: Chief Mogale, Kagiso through Kagiso Drive Ends/Main event: Mogale City library, Krugersdorp
Mandela Day in Mookgopong Municipality, Limpopo:
Date: Saturday, 18 July 2015
Time: 10h00
Venue: Dikubu Primary School, Mookgopong, Limpopo
Enquiries:
DBE: Elijah Mhlanga: 083 580 8275
Troy Martens: 079 899 3070
DoT: Ishmael Mnisi: 079 419 4198
DEA: