News

Soshanguve community conversation

The community begins to realise that it cannot go on in silence about HIV, and that the only shame is in not caring

12 September 2008 | Category: Dialogue for Justice

Sept 12, 2008 – “When I think about how many people I have infected, I feel ashamed. I would like to apologise to all of them. Right now I’m standing in front of my community saying that I am HIV-positive. I’m trying to break the stigma. Let us rectify the mistakes we’ve made. This is the first time I have talked about my status in public and I want to thank God for giving me the courage. A chance to make a change.”

Nelson Mandela’s name exploited

Foundation appeals to people to respect Founder’s name

8 September 2008 |

Sept 8, 2008 – The Nelson Mandela Foundation is making an appeal to people to stop exploiting the name of its Founder, Nelson Mandela.

The Foundation has recently been made aware of a 24-carat black diamond called the “Madiba Diamond” apparently purchased by a Mr David Linsley of the Guernsey-based Sirius Investment Management company. The diamond is ostensibly the first purchase of the company, which will be launched in 2009.

KwaMakhutha community conversation

This community is not new to struggle and loss, but needs to regroup and develop constructive strategies

8 September 2008 | Category: Dialogue for Justice

Sept 8, 2008 – “Next year when the Nelson Mandela Foundation returns, I don’t want people to be putting down stones that represent me.” This powerful reflection came out of the “counting your losses” session at a township dialogue, where participants laid down small stones to represent the lives of loved ones lost through AIDS.

Nelson Mandela meets 134-year-old

Group of elderly people join Madiba’s birthday celebrations

5 September 2008 |

Sept 5, 2008 – A group of 18 older people from around South Africa, including a 134-year-old woman from Limpopo province, met Nelson Mandela at his offices today.

‘Koko’ Moloko Temo, from Mohadi ga Manthata village, who was accompanied by her 89-year-old daughter Eveline, joined the group from the South African Older Person’s Forum.

Children present wax replica

Foundation reminds pupils of their own worth and the value of education

4 September 2008 |

Sept 4, 2008 – After Nelson Mandela’s release from prison in 1990, he visited a number of areas around the country, including Etwatwa in Daveyton, Benoni.  Concerned about living conditions there, and particularly about the children roaming the streets because there was no school in the area, Mr Mandela negotiated with what was then Nedperm Bank and the Independent Development Trust to help raise funds to build a school.

A couple of years later, on April 13, 1992, Mr Mandela officially opened the Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Primary School.

Topco Media book not an official tribute

Nelson Mandela Foundation alerts public to unendorsed appeal

3 September 2008 |

Sept 3, 2008 – The Nelson Mandela Foundation would like to draw the public’s attention to a proposal being sent out to various organisations nationally and internationally by a company called Topco Media, inviting paid participation in a Nelson Mandela tribute book.

Scholarship and leadership seal a deal

Mandela Rhodes Foundation acquires a 25.1% share in Oxford University Press

2 September 2008 |

Sept 2, 2008 – The Mandela Rhodes Foundation today acquired 25.1% of the shares of Oxford University Press South Africa which will help fund its scholarship programme.

Nelson Mandela and the Vice Chancellor of Oxford University, Dr John Hood, signed the deal which will help to ensure that there are “100 Rhodes scholars a year by 2012”, said Professor Jakes Gerwel, chairperson of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation. The Foundation exists to build leadership capacity throughout Africa, through scholarships and training.

The 2008 Annual Lecture Programme

29 August 2008 |

The programme from the 2008 Annual Lecture held at the Walter Sisulu square in Kliptown, Soweto, on July 12, 2008.

Galeshewe community conversation

The pain of loss meets the force of denial

28 August 2008 | Category: Dialogue for Justice

Aug 28, 2008 – “They were crying for help from me and I ignored them.” Words of anguish and regret were the first step towards healing and change at a community meeting in Galeshewe last month. “If you don’t cry, you will fall down on the ground with pain some day,” said another of the community members.

Silence quietly shatters in Soshanguve

Community opens up about HIV/AIDS at dialogue event

27 August 2008 | Category: Dialogue for Justice

Aug 27, 2008 – Breaking the silence by telling a roomful of people that you’re HIV-positive, in a community that still vilifies those who are positive, requires an enormous amount of courage.

This is precisely what happened today in Soshanguve, a large township outside Tshwane, when members of the community convened as part of the Nelson Mandela Foundation’s community conversation series. The series has visited a number of communities throughout the country to discuss the issues surrounding HIV/AIDS.

The aim of the community conversations is to provide a safe space and platform for people to discuss the particular challenges they face around HIV/AIDS and to try to find ways forward together.