This year’s Mandela Day took an unexpected turn when Thulani Mkhwanazi, a politician with a controversial past, joined a public clean-up campaign in Soweto. While he pitched in with a spade and gloves, planting trees and picking up trash, many questioned his motives.
“We must lead by example,” Mkhwanazi told reporters. “Madiba’s legacy is about action, not words.” But critics were quick to call out what they see as a publicity stunt.
“Where was he during the floods or when service delivery failed?” asked Soweto resident Lebo Ndlovu. “Now, suddenly, he’s a community hero because it’s Mandela Day?”
Mkhwanazi’s sudden display of civic duty comes amid ongoing scandals, including alleged links to questionable government tenders and an unresolved R2 million payment flagged in a provincial audit.
Political analyst Sandile Mbatha dismissed the act as “damage control.” “This isn’t about Mandela—it’s about fixing his image,” he said. “People are asking what he’s really trying to hide.”
On social media, reactions were equally skeptical. One user joked, “Mkhwanazi with a shovel is the scariest thing I’ve seen this year.”
Despite the backlash, Mkhwanazi remained defiant. “Today is about giving back,” he insisted. But in a country weary of political posturing, many are left wondering—is he really serving the community, or just trying to clean up his own reputation?