Johannesburg - Mandela Day celebrations in Gauteng got off to a start on Thursday with City of Joburg staff planting a "Mandela tree" a stones throw away from the former President's home in Houghton.
Executive Director of the Environmental Management Directorate at the municipality, Councillor Flora Mokgohloa, said they had decided to name the tree after Mandela, as part of a campaign to conserve the environment as well as mark Mandela Day.
Numerous celebrations will take place on Saturday, when people have been called on to spend at least 67 minutes of their time doing voluntary work to uplift their communities.
Activities will start at 8:30am in Johannesburg when members of the mayoral committee host community members at Thokoza Park in Soweto.
Volunteers will also embark on vigorous cleaning campaigns in parks, sidewalks, planting trees and renovating play equipment around South Africa's biggest township.
There will also be cleaning campaigns in townships such as Alexandra, Orange Farm and Cosmo City.
Ms Mokgohloa urged communities to come out in their numbers to honor the world's greatest statesman while also protecting nature for future generations.
"Madiba is a man who has shown a great love for his country and its time for us to preserve his legacy by giving back what we have taken from nature," she said.
President Jacob Zuma is expected to spend the day with older persons from all over the country at a service delivery outreach party in Ivory Park.
