Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts to lead Nelson Mandela Day Activities in Pretoria

29 July 2025

The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms. Bernice Swarts, will lead the Nelson Mandela Day activities on Thursday, 31 July 2025, at the Pretoria National Botanical Gardens.

Nelson Mandela Day is an international day recognised by the United Nations, in which people around the world are invited to participate in a day of giving back to their communities by carrying out and supporting acts of service and kindness.

This year's Nelson Mandela International Day is celebrated under the theme: "It's still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity." As such, the Foundation has also encouraged global citizens to participate in the activities in line with the following hashtags - #PlantForMandela #itisinyourhands.

As part of Mandela Day activities, Deputy Minister Swarts will lead tree planting as well as food gardening activities in Tshwane (Pretoria). The focus will be to create awareness on the importance of trees and on giving some time to uplift areas in need in line with the objectives and principles of International Mandela Day.

The Nelson Mandela Day activities will commence with Deputy Minister Swarts hosting the Ambassadors and High Commissioners of various countries at the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) garden in Pretoria. The engagement will highlight the department's efforts under the National Greening Programme, which also serves as the foundation for the One Million Tree Campaign - an initiative to plant one million trees on 24 September 2025.

Following the engagement with Ambassadors and High Commissioners, Deputy Minister Swarts will lead tree planting activities at Mamelodi East Prevocational School - a school of learners with special needs / orphanage in Mamelodi East. The tree planting activities at the school will be done in collaboration with the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality where a number of trees will be donated and planted by dignitaries and the school learners to inculcate the notion of establishment of gardens to address issues of food security through the National Greening Programme.

Deputy Minister Swarts and the dignitaries will also visit the Jewish National Fund - SA Development Centre (Mamelodi) to plant more trees.

Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the launch as follows:

Part One - Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts hosts Ambassadors and High Commissioners from various countries at the National Botanical Garden in Pretoria
Date: Thursday, 31 July 2025
Time: 09h30
Venue: African Pride Café, Pretoria National Botanical Garden, 2 Cassoni Ave, Brummeria, Pretoria

Part Two - Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts visits Mamelodi East Prevocational School in Mamelodi East
Date: 31 July 2025
Time: 13h00
Venue: Mamelodi East Prevocational School, Muzi Street, Mamelodi East, Pretoria

Part Tree: Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts visits Jewish National Fund - SA Development Centre in Mamelodi East
Date: 31 July 2025
Time: 14h00
Venue: Jewish National Fund - SA Development Centre, 20202 Serapeng Street, Mamelodi East

To RSVP, please contact:

Michael Mokoena082 906 [email protected] Mabena066 420 [email protected]

For media enquiries, please contact:

Peter Mbelengwa
Mobile: 082 611 8197
E-mail: [email protected]