South Africa holds Zenani campaign launch

Publication date: 26 July 2012

South Africa has held its launch of the Zenani Mandela campaign and awarded the Zenani Mandela Scholarship certificate to this year’s recipient, Beauty Mokua.

Ms Mokua received her award at a high level certificate ceremony to mark Mandela Day, Nelson Mandela’s birthday. Members of the Mandela family joined the South African Department of Transport and the FIA Foundation at the certificate ceremony in Nelson Mandela’s home village of Qunu, Eastern Cape on 18 July.

The Zenani Scholarship certificate recognises Ms Mokua’s successful completion of the scholarship programme organised by the FIA Foundation in London. The panel of speakers at the event included Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mbuso Mandela, Deputy Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga, Avi Silverman FIA Foundation Director of Communications and senior national and provincial government officials. Beauty Mokua is the second Zenani Mandela Scholar. She works as a Road Safety officer in the South African Department of Community Safety and Human Settlements.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga outlined her country’s plan for the Decade of Action highlighting key areas of road safety including protection of pedestrians and vulnerable road users.

Deputy Minister Chikunga said: “We are here today because we are responding to a call to action to make South Africa a better place as envisaged by Madiba.

“And we are glad to have joined hands with the Mandela family to turn this loss into a meaningful cause in pursuit of a better society. The establishment of the Zenani Mandela Scholarship marked a quantum leap in our campaign to save lives on the roads. And the association of our road safety campaign with this has undoubtedly elevated it to global levels.”

On behalf of the FIA Foundation, Avi Silverman said: “Beauty Mokua, the 2012 Zenani Scholar, represents South Africa’s continued efforts to lead the fight to save lives on the roads. She has taken full advantage of the opportunity to learn from some of the leading experts in the world, and will be able to take the Decade of Action agenda forward in her country.

“The Zenani Mandela campaign and scholarship reflect the values and spirit of Mandela Day. Together with her family, we are calling for action in Zenani’s name. This initiative has been launched by the Mandela family, but it is for all our children everywhere and for every life.”

The Zenani campaign is calling for key measures to reduce the death rate among children worldwide, including: safe crossings, footpaths and cycleways to school, tougher action to prevent drink driving and speeding, better protection for child passengers on motorcycles and in cars, and graduated driver licencing to help young novice drivers.

Ahead of the event, earlier in the day the Deputy Minister and her team together with  the Member of the Executive Council for Roads and Transport in the Eastern Cape Province Thandiswa Marawu and, the Director-General of the Department of Transport Mr. George Mahlalela carried out a ‘Mandela Day’ road safety activity.

The group carried out pedestrian road safety awareness programmes and painted road safety markings on Sutherland, one of the busiest streets in the city of Mthatha. Pedestrian deaths account for 46% of the total road fatalities in South Africa.

Members of the Mandela family attending the event included Zindzi Mandela, Zoleka Mandela and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. The South Africa Zenani Campaign event follows the earlier global launch of the campaign in New York with Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The Mandela family members joined the Deputy Minister in presenting the scholarship certificate to Ms Mokua.

Source: FIA Foundation