Mdzananda Celebrates 30 Years of Transforming Animal Welfare in Khayelitsha

Photo Credit: Mdzananda Animal Clinic and Shelter

For 30 years, Mdzananda Animal Clinic has stood shoulder to shoulder with the Khayelitsha community by healing pets, empowering owners, and building a kinder world for animals and the people who love them.

Khayelitsha, South Africa (13 September 2026) – Three decades dedicated to the welfare of vulnerable animals is no small duty. Yet for a team in Khayelitsha, it is simply a labour of love. Day in and day out, they step up without hesitation and with no intention of slowing down.

Whether it is treating everyday ticks and fleas or mending broken bones, the Mdzananda Animal Clinic and Shelter have always opened its doors to help. For 30 years, it has been at the heart of animal welfare in Khayelitsha, providing essential veterinary care, education and support to animals and their families in one of Cape Town’s largest and most impoverished communities.

What began with one community member going door-to-door to feed pets and stray dogs has grown into a fully-fledged animal hospital and shelter serving more than 22,000 animals every year.

“Thirty years is an extraordinary milestone, but what matters most to us is what those 30 years represent – the thousands of animals we have been able to care for and the families and community members who have trusted us with their beloved pets,” says Marcelle du Plessis, Fundraising and Communications Executive.

As the only animal clinic and shelter in Khayelitsha, Mdzananda plays a critical role in a community home to an estimated 300,000 companion animals. For many families, access to private veterinary services is not affordable. Mdzananda helps bridge this gap by providing accessible, low-cost veterinary care far below its cost price, ensuring that animals can receive the treatment, care and protection they need.

The organisation has worked alongside the Khayelitsha community to promote responsible pet ownership, increase sterilisation, improve animal health and create a more compassionate environment for animals and the people who care for them.

“Apart from celebrating 30 years of service, we are also celebrating our recent milestone of completing our 1,000 Pet Sterilisation Campaign. Through the campaign, 1,000 animals have been sterilised, helping to prevent unwanted litters and addressing the ongoing challenge of animal overpopulation,” says du Plessis.

Photo Credit: Mdzananda Animal Clinic and Shelter

You’re Invited to Join the Celebration

To mark its 30th birthday, Mdzananda is inviting the public to join the team at the Barnyard Theatre on Saturday, 3 October 2026.

The evening will feature Can’t Stop the Feeling – 60 Years of Number 1 Hit Songs, providing a fun-filled opportunity to celebrate Mdzananda’s three decades of service while also recognising the completion of the 1,000 Pet Sterilisation Campaign.

The event will begin with doors opening at 6 pm, with the show starting at 7:30 pm and ending at approximately 10:00 pm. Tickets are R200, with pizzas, burgers, salads and drinks available for purchase on the evening.

Tickets can be reserved by contacting Kelly at [email protected].

“As Mdzananda looks back on 30 years of caring, healing, educating and changing lives, the organisation is also looking ahead to continuing its vital role in Khayelitsha, reaching more animals and families, and working towards a future where every companion animal has the opportunity to live a healthy and happy life,” says du Plessis.