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Nelson Mandela

JOHANNESBURG. — The Nelson Mandela Foundation along with Proudly South African and Operation Hydrate launched the country’s “biggest water drive” to date yesterday.

The project aims to bring some much needed relief to communities in drought stricken areas across the country by allowing people to drop off sealed 5 litre bottles of drinking water from yesterday until today at the Nelson Mandela Foundation at 107 Central Street in Houghton, Johannesburg. It launched with water drop-off times commencing from 09:00 until 17:00 up until tomorrow afternoon.

“It gives us great pleasure as the Nelson Mandela Foundation to be associated with an initiative in which South Africans, in a moment of crisis, help vulnerable fellow citizens. This is precisely the call that Madiba made when he said ‘it is in your hands’,” Sello Hatang, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, said in a statement.

“Operation Hydrate is a call for all of us to respond to keeping Nelson Mandela’s legacy alive. We know it’s a small gesture but every drop counts to help destitute communities who have no drinking water.”

Proudly SA’s CEO, Adv. Leslie Sedibe in a statement: “We are calling on South Africans to once again be of service to humanity and respond to the basic needs of our fellow South Africans. Let’s contribute and make every day a Mandela Day! We cannot, in good conscience, sit back and do nothing when people are dying of thirst.” Due to health and safety regulations, no tap or borehole water can be accepted as drinking water.

“We appeal to the public, businesses, corporates and schools to participate in the Water Drive by visiting the Foundation and donating water or funds to the efforts. Those who are too far to travel to the Foundation can make financial contributions towards Operation Hydrate”, Sedibe said. — News24.