ESG & Sustainability Video South Africa

Mario van Niekerk was eight years old when his family fell apart. His father died in a gas explosion, and his mother was struggling to make ends meet. Van Niekerk was angry, alone, and without mentors. At the age of 11, a gang in his community offered Van Niekerk the sense of belonging he was yearning for. In trying to forge a family, he lost his childhood. Years later, when Van Niekerk became a father, he saw himself in his son’s eyes. He couldn’t allow his child to grow up the same way he did. Van Niekerk knew he had to end the cycle of gangsterism....

When William Baartman was three years old, his family’s home was petrol bombed. It was 1976, and protesting students targeted Baartman’s father, an Afrikaans teacher. The fire took Baartman’s sister, Grace, and left him with burns across 75% of his body. He never finished school – the bullying was too much. Baartman was ashamed, and chose to stay home, hidden from the world. But today he walks with confidence. When Baartman visits children who have also suffered burns, he sees his younger self in them – strong survivors. But what the children see is their future....

Of the millions of children living in South Africa, only a minority are taught to swim for recreation and for safety. The rest are at schools without pool facilities and teachers, unable to afford private instructors. During the festive season, many of these kids will head off to the sea, braving the waters for the very first time. As a result, the National Sea Rescue Institute reports 600 children drowning every year. Those who stand on the sidelines might be safe, but they’re left out of the fun. With a love for both children and swimming, Carol Esterhuizen realised that she could contribute to saving lives by teaching children the skills and confidence they need to participate safely....

In the Cape Flats, gang violence is part of life. Normal activities stop when shootings begin. Wesbank local Edith van Wyk lost her only son and her brother to gangsterism within three years of each other. Her grandson, Tyrese, stopped going to school because it was too dangerous, along with other children in the community. In the face of increasing violence, Van Wyk chose to take action. Rather than allowing children to live in fear, she decided to walk kids to school every day, taking on hardened criminals by bringing laughter back to the streets....

Kelly Grevler was a student when she saw firsthand how a new skill could change your life. Performing as a guitarist in a band, Grevler met new people, explored different places and discovered further career opportunities. So she took to the streets of Johannesburg to empower others through music. With her guitar in hand, and a few extra to spare, Grevler began teaching interested children how to play – at no cost....

Nicholas Dlamini’s first bike represented more than just recreation. It got him around the township where he grew up. It took him to school when he couldn’t afford taxi fare. And it set him on a journey of transformation from a young kid to professional sportsman. Read Dlamini's full story here..

Annelissa Mhloli wanted to try her hand at catching a wave. But the sport made her conscious of her weight. Mhloli was afraid she wasn’t like the other surfers. “I saw that a lot of them were in great shape,” she says. “That was a setback for me because I felt as if I wasn’t going to fit in.” Stereotypes of what plus-size women can and can’t do invaded Mhloli’s mind, threatening to hold her back. Then she got offered her dream job. The only snag? It involved surfing....

Patricia Mudiayi misses her home. She misses the beauty, the games, the energy. At the age of 29, she had to leave the Democratic Republic of Congo. Although she had a degree in Chemical Engineering, Mudiayi couldn’t find work besides tutoring. It wasn’t the life she wanted. People told her South Africa was a place of possibility. Unable to speak English, five months pregnant, and alone, she took a risk and left. But the road to a new life was not paved in gold. Mudiayi had to pave it herself....

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In the build-up to Mandela Day, the Relate Trust held its annual beading challenge in Nobel Square at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on Thursday, 13 July. Beading Gogos and Tatas each paired up with a celebrity to try and bead the winning bracelet.