Residents celebrate early Mandela Day
Roodepoorters eager to get going with honouring Madiba.
The last winner of the Mr Roodepoort North competition in 1996, Stephan Myburgh (33), has never stopped doing the good work that he started in the year he was crowned.
Today he is an activist in almost every sphere of his community. From helping drug addicts to fighting for urban renewal in the CBD.
Man alone he is also not afraid to take on the criminal element in his area and is quite outspoken when it comes to the social ills in the community.
On 16 July the Record was surprised to meet Stephan and his friend Charlene Charles (37) doing a job most will shy away from – cleaning the bridge across the railway that runs from Amsterdam to Einde Streets.
The smell of urine and human faeces was unbearable and the amount of rubbish made it seem like an almost insurmountable job, yet these two green warriors were hard at it in the midday heat.
Why? “For Madiba. We know that Mandela Day and the accompanying 67 minutes of serving your fellow man is only two days away but we wanted to do something special for him now. We also arranged that the Fire Brigade come and spray clean after us, after which we’ll sanitise the bridge with chemicals,” explained Stephan.
An unthankful job done by two Roodepoorters that all their neighbours should be proud of.
The challenge is on. Let the Record know what you are planning for 18 July or what you have already done.
