Despite the ballooning trust deficit between law enforcement and citizens, worsened by allegations linking the police minister and other top officials to shady characters, and politicians who serve themselves rather than the people, many good folks continue to shine a bright light in the lives of others.
The murder of women and children, armed robberies, hijackings and kidnappings have become so commonplace that people, for the most part, are no longer shocked or surprised.
Sadly, many have little to no faith in the police’s ability to keep them safe or successfully tackle the frightening level of crime in SA.
Amid the gloom, however, the bright lights shine through. There are those who simply refuse to focus on the bad and instead choose to do good.
Every year, the Herald and the Daily Dispatch, with their citizens of the year and local heroes awards, respectively, highlight the good works of a few exceptional individuals, but there are so many others doing great things to make a difference in the lives of the needy.
On Friday, Nelson Mandela Day, there were good deeds aplenty in Gqeberha. They ranged from hundreds of hand-knitted scarves tied to trees with a message inviting the cold and needy to take one, to setting up a food garden in Motherwell and a collaborative effort led by the MBDA to clean up parts of the inner city.
A special needs school that serves mainly the disadvantaged was also spruced up, with windows and doors repaired and inner and outer walls painted.
“Mandela Day reminds us that lasting change starts with choosing to act,” MBDA chief executive Anele Qaba said.
“Today, we showed what that looks like through unity, impact and love for the city we serve.”
While these deeds all made the news on a day specifically geared towards acts of kindness, many people and organisations quietly toil away out of the limelight every day to feed the hungry and uplift the poor.
These unsung heroes are the ones who inspire real hope.
So, to them we say a huge thank you.
We see you; your selfless efforts make us believe all is not lost in SA.
The Herald
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