Zola Nene leads 'Hands-On Heroes' initiative for Mandela Day 2026

Renowned chef and author Zola Nene has joined forces with the non-profit organization Ladles of Love to host events in honor of Mandela Day this year. An urgent call to action has been launched to provide assistance to 20,000 preschool children living in underserved communities.

The 'Hands-On Heroes' Campaign Concept

The 'Hands-On Heroes' campaign invites companies, families, and community groups to dedicate 67 minutes to participating in activities designed to nourish and educate children facing food insecurity. For Nene, this partnership holds deep personal significance, as she believes that food is always connected to shared experience, connection, and cultural exchange.

She emphasized that feeding a child is a critical step toward advancing their education and ensuring the best future outcomes. In her view, it is unreasonable to expect a child to learn and succeed while hungry, as proper nutrition is necessary for concentration during studies.

Initiative Structure and Goals

The goal of this initiative extends beyond merely alleviating immediate hunger; it focuses on creating a long-term positive impact on early childhood development. Ladles of Love has structured the campaign around four 'activation zones' at the events:

Make Zone: Tasks involving sandwich making and packing nutritious kits.
Create Zone: Preparation of educational materials such as flashcards and workbooks.
Craft Zone: Creation of teaching aids, including dolls and play bags.
Grow Zone: Building vegetable and herb growing boxes to support urban farmers.

The campaign offers a convenient way for corporate teams to participate in Mandela Day without the complexities of planning from scratch. Each 90-minute volunteer session is designed to provide employees with a shared and meaningful experience while making a tangible contribution.

Funding and Event Dates

The impact of the event is directly linked to the fundraising model: the cost of one ticket at R300 provides a child with two healthy meals for an entire month. The main Mandela Day events will take place at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Friday, July 17, 2026, and at the EXPO Johannesburg center in Nasrec on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. Individual tickets are R300, with a discount of R200 available for students and pensioners. Corporate packages are also available, which qualify for Section 18A tax certificates. Nene strongly urged potential volunteers to join, noting that even a small gesture from a person makes a huge difference in a child's life.

iol.co.zaJuly 10, 06:50

Zibi calls for simplification of Johannesburg's governance due to the city's financial problems

Songezo Zibi, chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, stated that the Ministry of Finance is not omnipotent, and the National Treasury cannot constantly monitor the financial accountability of municipalities.

Johannesburg Governance Issues

Zibi noted that the City of Johannesburg is overly complex, and the quality and rigor of political oversight and leadership from its officials require improvement. He participated in a briefing by the Parliamentary oversight committees where the recent appearance of the municipality before Parliament was discussed.

Audit and Financial Status

The latest report by the Auditor-General, Tsakana Maluleke, indicated that municipalities in the Gauteng province, particularly, are facing declining audit outcomes, deteriorating financial health, and service delivery challenges. The City of Johannesburg was highlighted as an entity requiring continuous intervention from both executive and oversight bodies after its audit opinion downgraded from unqualified to qualified.

Mayor Dada Morelo, speaking before the Scopa Committee and the Portfolio Committee on Joint Municipal Affairs and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), assured that his administration intends to restore the city's financial health. It was revealed that over the past five years, the city has written off R45.16 billion in expenditures that were unauthorized, irregular, fruitless, and wasteful (UIFW).

Three Key Observations by Zibi

Zibi emphasized that work with the City of Johannesburg is being conducted jointly with CoGTA, but it will continue across all municipalities. He stated that they will work with the Auditor-General, other departments, the National Treasury, and CoGTA until the end of the seventh Parliament to ensure a visible level of service delivery to the public.

He outlined three main points observed by the two committees in their work with the City of Johannesburg. Firstly, there is a need to improve the quality and rigor of political oversight and leadership from the Mayoral Committee Members (MMC) and the board governing the large number of agencies in the City of Johannesburg. Since there are about 12–13 agencies plus the core administration, increased control from the MMC, the mayor, and council committees is required, especially the Municipal Public Accounts Committee.

Zibi added that with the effective execution of these functions, it might even become unnecessary for municipalities, including the City of Johannesburg, to appear before Parliament.

Structural Complexity and Contracts

The second observation concerned the excessive complexity of the city. In Zibi's view, there is no other city on the planet that has 13 structures, each with its own management system, board of directors, and leadership, which the Auditor-General must assess separately. This complexity hinders effective political and executive oversight.

The third observation, named by Zibi, related to contract and project management. The Auditor-General raised numerous questions regarding contract management, unpaid supplier invoices, and the unavailability of technical drawings, despite contractors performing the work and continuing to receive payment. These issues extend to agencies such as City Power and Pikitup, some of which are experiencing cash flow problems.

Further Steps and Remarks by Mkhize

Zibi confirmed that they are not satisfied with the current situation but intend to engage with the City of Johannesburg and other metropolises on an ongoing basis with other institutions so that residents receive a decent level of service. Zweli Mkhize added that they have been tasked with clarifying many issues. He mentioned the shift from financial management problems to difficulties arising from credit institutions, which expressed dissatisfaction over huge debts, service delivery problems, high water losses, and arrears owed to municipalities and Eskom.

iol.co.zaJuly 7, 21:30

Arthur Zwane could bring stability to the South African national team structure

Reports suggest that Arthur Zwane is considering a position within the Bafana Bafana national team structure, either as head coach or assistant. Such appointments could provide the necessary stability and balance for the future national squad.

Coaches in contention

According to reports that emerged on Tuesday, Zwane submitted his CV for the Bafana Bafana vacancy with the aim of replacing the current coach, Hugo Bruus. He joins Pitsos Mosimane in the list of potential candidates whose interests have recently been voiced by the association.

Mosimane enjoys significant support because he is well-acquainted with SAFA, having prior experience working in national structures. He possesses extensive high-level experience following successful spells at Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly.

Advantages of Arthur Zwane

Even if Mosimane takes the position, Zwane has the ability to breathe new life into the national team. As a head coach or assistant, especially alongside a specialist like Mosimane, the 51-year-old coach has many qualities to offer.

Zwane is a dedicated student of football. He already holds a UEFA A license and certainly plans to obtain a Professional License to meet all requirements for participating in matches, both locally and internationally. His current qualifications allow him to fully comply with CAF and FIFA standards.

Beyond formal requirements, Zwane embodies many positive traits of Bruus. He is known as a strict disciplinarian off the field, firmly believing that a player's lifestyle affects their concentration during training and matches. He has also proven himself in working with youth academies, many graduates of which have become key players for the senior Kaizer Chiefs team.

Progress and past experience

It is acknowledged that in his first major coaching experience with the Chiefs, he faced difficulties, serving only one season before being demoted. However, the general consensus is that he was simply not given enough time to fully establish his identity and playing style.

Zwane has significantly evolved since then. Last season, he demonstrated himself as an independent leader at AmaZulu, impressively managing the team and leading them to a respectable fourth place in the league. He achieved this result with a predominantly young squad, demonstrating the ability to guide young players under the pressure of the top division, while also showing maturity and personnel management skills.

Opportunities in the national team

If Zwane secures a role in Bafana Bafana, he possesses all the tools for success. This would mark a return to a familiar environment, given his previous experience working as an assistant to Molefi Ntseki. This pair also established strong working relationships at Kaizer Chiefs.

Ntseki currently serves as the technical director at SAFA, creating a familiar dynamic, although there are hopes that the national reunion will yield more stable results than their joint work at Naturena.

Presenting Zwane to the senior national team would also contribute to incredible cohesion with the youth structures. He has experience collaborating with the newly appointed U23 coach Raymond Mdaka in youth football, and he worked closely with U17 coach Vela Humalo during their time at Chiefs.

Prospects and the assistant role

There are also reports linking AmaZulu manager Sandile Zungu to the presidential elections in SAFA this year. If this happens, it could pave the way for an interesting reunion with Zwane, allowing them to build upon the successful foundation they have already laid together at Usuthu.

Ultimately, the lack of trophies and less experience compared to Mosimane might be arguments against Zwane in a top position. However, if SAFA decides to appoint him as an assistant, it would be a huge victory for South African football. Zwane's calm temperament would perfectly complement Mosimane's assertive and demanding approach, allowing him to act as a vital bridge between players and the head coach, ensuring seamless transmission of ideas. Moreover, it would give the talented rising local coach an opportunity to learn from the best, guaranteeing a clear path of succession should he one day take the head coach role of the national team.