South Africa, let's all sing for Mandela
Mbhazima Lesego waka'Ngobeni
13 July 2011
Start of third term promises to be not just another Monday at state schools across South Africa. On 18 July, about 12-million pupils will simultaneously – at exactly 8.05am – sing happy birthday to Nelson Mandela. South Africans at home and around the world are urged to join in.
The day is recognised by the United Nations as Nelson Mandela International Day.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation has issued a call to every person to join the pupils in singing for Mandela, who turns 93 on Monday. Public schools will hoist the national flag and then sing the national anthem before bursting into a harmonious happy birthday to South Africa's greatest living icon.
The Let's All Sing for Madiba campaign is supported by the foundation along with the International Marketing Council of South Africa, the Independent Newspaper Group, Primedia, SuperSport, the SABC and the Department of Basic Education.
Speaking at the campaign's launch at the foundation's offices in Johannesburg on Tuesday, Yusuf Abramjee, the chairman of the National Press Club and a Primedia executive, said all partners were doing this "from the bottom of our hearts and not as a cheap publicity stunt. We want to make a difference for Madiba.
"My challenge is for all South Africans to support the initiative," he said.
An official happy birthday track, sung and recorded by the Buhlebemfundo Secondary School choir, which participated in the Eistefodd National Choral Competition last month, will underline the campaign. It will be played on Morning Live on SABC2, on all 18 SABC radio stations, on Primedia radio stations and on SuperSport simultaneously at 8.05am on Monday.
The song, Happy Birthday Tata Madiba, is a melange of popular struggle songs and African hymns, harmonised by a choral undertone. It was composed by Buhlebemfundo Secondary, which is in Tsakane on Johannesburg's East Rand.
As of Tuesday, Abramjee said all Primedia stations would playlist the song on almost every show for the rest of the week.
It will also be circulated on the LeadSA website leadsa.co.za, and the lyrics will be published on the internet and in various print and online publications.
The track will be accompanied by a birthday message from President Jacob Zuma, which will be flighted on Morning Live, and all Primedia and SABC radio stations before the official track is played.
"What a better way to explain and celebrate better the meaning of Madiba," said Angie Motshekga, the minister of basic education.
The simultaneous singing would in no way disrupt learning activities at schools, she pointed out. All pupils will be expected back in class by 8.15am.
Abramjee said everyone should sing a happy birthday first before embarking on any 67-minute social activity to commemorate Nelson Mandela Day.
He said the partners were considering entering the initiative as a Guinness World Record for the most people to sing happy birthday simultaneously, but this would not be the focal point of the campaign.
It was devised as a humanitarian gesture to Mandela.
The International Marketing Council of South Africa has urged South Africans living overseas to sing as well.
The foundation said Nelson Mandela Day was a call to action for people everywhere to take responsibility for making the world in a better place, one small step at a time, "just as Mandela did".
The campaign message is simple: "Mandela gave 67 years of his life fighting for the rights of humanity. All we are asking is that everyone gives 67 minutes of their time, whether it's supporting your chosen charity or serving your local community."
Achmat Dangor, the chief executive of the foundation, urged everyone to "take charge and make every day a Mandela Day".
Source: City of Johannesburg
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