Pretoria - Minister for Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities, Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya will on Sunday swap her formal attire for a white nursing uniform and report for duty at the Prince Mshiyeni Hospital.
Cosatu President S'dumo Dlamini will also join the minister at the hospital to mark Mandela Day. The two had worked at Prince Mshiyeni in Umlazi, south of Durban, for many years as nurses before taking up official positions within Nehawu and Cosatu.
From 9am, Mayende-Sibiya will be working at the labour ward of the hospital which delivers an average of 1500 babies per year, while Dlamini at the casualty ward which receives an increased number of patients over the weekends.
Meanwhile, the Gauteng Education Department has called on business sector to contribute funds towards improving schools in poor communities in the spirit of Mandela Day.
"These (infrastructure) are repairs that can be carried out during the day and include minor repairs such as plumbing and electrical works," said Gauteng Education MEC Barbara Creecy.
The department has also placed a list on its website www.gautengonline.gov.za under the Gauteng Department of Education, where businesses can choose which school they would like to support.
Three ways that business sectors can play a role include adopting a school, implementing repairs and renovation programme (fixing windows, ceilings, doors, fences etc) and donating funds towards improving school's infrastructure to the Gauteng Education Development Trust (GEDT)
Any business that would like to contribute in this initiative can contact Niths Palani of the Gauteng Department of Education on (011) 355-0288 or 083 410 3454.
Parents have also been invited to go to local schools and assist with cleaning, cutting grass, removing weeds, cleaning windows and toilets.
Creecy will visit schools in Winterveld, Tshwane. The programme will start on Saturday with a sports day for learners at Thabo Mbeki Sports Complex.
