Ikamva Labantu’s 67 Gogos initiative marks Mandela Day 2025 by spotlighting township elders. Support their work by donating non-perishable food to help vulnerable seniors.
South Africa (09 July 2025) – In Cape Town’s townships, a quiet but powerful movement is underway. Ikamva Labantu and Relate Bracelets have partnered on the “67 Gogos” campaign, an initiative that not only honours Mandela’s legacy, but shines a spotlight on the unsung heroes of our communities: the grandmothers.
These gogos are the backbone of many households. In the face of poverty, unemployment and social challenges, they step up, raising grandchildren, managing households, and providing care on a pension of just over R2,300 a month. That amount, stretched across entire families, often disappears before the month is halfway through.
A recent independent study by Ikamva Labantu revealed that many elderly women in townships are not only overburdened but also face high levels of financial abuse, their pensions misused, and their needs overlooked.
“Our older people are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation,” says Ishrene Davids, Director of Ikamva Labantu. “Older people fought in Apartheid to ensure a better future for the next generation, but many of them do not possess the equality and human rights they fought for.”
To honour these women, Ikamva Labantu’s Senior Clubs are hosting a Mandela Day gathering where gogos will come together to bead Relate Bracelets and share stories of Madiba, a celebration of resilience, dignity and purpose.
This Mandela Day, Ikamva Labantu is calling on individuals, schools, and corporates to donate non-perishable food items, including rice, maize meal, canned goods, sugar, coffee, and cooking oil, to their Woodstock head office. These essential items will be distributed to bedridden elders who can no longer access senior clubs or public food aid. The office address is: Hills Building, Buchanan Square, 160 Sir Lowry Road, Woodstock.
“Relate Bracelets’ partnership with Ikamva Labantu is about honouring our Gogos — the grandmothers who have held families and communities together for decades,” says Dalit Shekel, CEO of Relate Bracelets. “Every bracelet they bead is a small act of dignity, purpose and hope.”
The 67 Gogos campaign has already raised over R100,000 to support community-led Senior Clubs and rehabilitative care, thanks to corporate partners like Pam Golding Group, Sovereign Group, and Spectacle World.
“This Mandela Day we are raising awareness about our often-forgotten elders’ struggles,” adds Davids. “We call on society to recognise our elders’ ongoing contribution to their community by helping create lasting change in their lives.”
Because long after Mandela Day ends, our elders will still be there, showing up for their families, their communities, and each other. Let’s show up for them, too.
by 