Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts: Celebrating Nelson Mandela International Day 2026

Speech by the Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Bernice Swarts, Celebrating Nelson Mandela International Day 2026, “Planting Hope, Growing Resilience: 67 Minutes for People, Nature and Climate Action”, Theme: “It’s still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity”, 17 July 2026

Programme Director,
The CEO of the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) – Mr. Shonisani Munzhedzi,
Representatives of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Mr. Vhalinavho Khavhagali,
Representatives of Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo,
The Green Development Foundation,
SHEEVOLVE,
The Chery Group,
Representatives of national, provincial and local government,
Members of the diplomatic community,
Traditional and faith-based leaders,
Representatives of civil society and the private sector,
Community leaders,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning.

It is a great honour to join you as we commemorate and celebrate the 2026 Nelson Mandela International Day under the theme: “It’s still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity.”

This theme reminds us that the responsibility to build a fairer, more caring, and more sustainable society does not rest only with governments or large institutions. It rests in the hands of every individual, every community, every business, and every organization.

Nelson Mandela taught us that meaningful change begins when ordinary people decide to act. He reminded us that each one of us has the ability and the responsibility to improve the lives of those around us.

Today, people across South Africa and around the world are dedicating 67 minutes of their time to serving others. This must inspire a lifelong commitment to service, compassion, active citizenship and responsibility. Our programme today carries the important message:

“Planting Hope, Growing Resilience: 67 Minutes for People, Nature and Climate Action.”

This message brings together three issues that cannot be separated: the well-being of people, the protection of nature and the need for urgent climate action. Planting a tree may appear to be a simple act. But it is an act filled with meaning and possibility.

When we plant a tree:

We plant shade for a child who may one day sit beneath it. We plant cleaner air for communities living in heavily polluted areas,
We plant habitats for birds, insects and other forms of life.
We protect soil, conserve water, restore degraded land and help reduce the impacts of rising temperatures.
We also plant hope.

A tree planted today is a promise to future generations that we cared enough to leave behind a healthier, greener and more resilient country. This is why environmental action must be understood as an important part of our struggle against poverty and inequity.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and environmental degradation affect us all, but they do not affect everyone equally. Poor and vulnerable communities are often the first to experience the consequences of floods, droughts, extreme heat, water shortages, food insecurity and the degradation of natural resources.

Many rural communities depend directly on healthy ecosystems for food, water, grazing, medicinal plants and income. When rivers become polluted, wetlands disappear, forests are cleared and land becomes degraded, these communities lose more than natural resources. They lose livelihoods, security and opportunities for development.

In our cities, poorer communities frequently have fewer trees, fewer parks and fewer safe green spaces. They are more exposed to extreme heat, polluted air and environmental hazards. Greening our communities is therefore not simply about making places beautiful. It is about justice. It is about ensuring that every child, regardless of where they live, can enjoy clean air, shade, safe public spaces and a healthy environment.

It is about addressing the environmental inequalities created by our history and ensuring that no community is left behind as we respond to climate change. When we plant trees in schools, clinics, parks, townships, informal settlements and rural villages, we are investing in dignity, health and equality.

Today’s campaign also reminds us that Nelson Mandela’s legacy belongs not only to South Africa, but to the world.

Beginning at sunrise in New Zealand, the tree-planting relay will continue through Asia, Africa and Europe before concluding at sunset in the Americas. Across different countries and time zones, people will plant trees, mobilise volunteers and share messages of environmental responsibility. This global relay symbolises our shared humanity.

It demonstrates that although we may live in different countries and face different circumstances, we share one planet and one future. Climate change does not respect borders. Biodiversity loss affects the wellbeing of the whole world. Poverty and inequality undermine peace, stability and sustainable development everywhere. Our response must therefore be built on cooperation, solidarity and shared responsibility.

Through this campaign, we declare:

One Legacy. One Planet. One Tree at a Time.

In South Africa, our tree-planting relay begins at sunrise at the Pretoria National Botanical Garden and concludes at sunset at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden. These two sites represent more than the beginning and end of a programme. They symbolize a national journey towards ecological restoration, social inclusion and climate resilience.

This initiative supports the objectives of the Presidential One Billion Trees Programme and the national drive to mobilise South Africans to plant millions of trees across our country. It also contributes to South Africa’s climate-change response, biodiversity commitments and urban-greening programmes.

The campaign supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the aspirations of the African Union’s Agenda 2063. However, the true success of this initiative will not be measured only by the number of trees planted today. It will be measured by how many of those trees survive, grow and continue benefiting communities for decades. Planting must therefore be accompanied by long-term stewardship.

We must select appropriate indigenous and climate-resilient species. We must plant trees in suitable places, protect them from damage and ensure that they receive sufficient water and care. Every tree planted should have a community, school, organisation, municipality or individual committed to protecting it.

Programme Director,

Today’s commemoration demonstrates the power of partnership. I wish to recognize our strategic partners, the IUCN, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo,  the Green Development, SHEEVOLVE and the Chery Group for supporting this environmental stewardship through practical action.

We need communities, businesses, researchers, schools, civil society organisations, faith-based institutions, traditional leaders, development partners and the media to work together.

The private sector has an especially important role to play by supporting community nurseries, purchasing locally produced trees, investing in ecosystem restoration and creating opportunities for young people and women in the green economy. In this way, environmental action can contribute directly to combating poverty and inequity.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today, we call upon every South African to take action. You can donate your time, knowledge or resources to a community organisation. Every act of kindness matters. Every act of service counts. Every tree planted contributes to a larger movement of hope and restoration.

As we dedicate our 67 minutes today, let us remember that the greatest tribute we can offer Nelson Mandela is not simply to speak about his legacy, but to live it. Madiba’s legacy calls on us to choose courage over indifference, service over self-interest and solidarity over division.

It calls on us to recognise that poverty cannot be separated from inequality, and inequality cannot be separated from the condition of the places in which people live. A restored landscape can support livelihoods and food security. A tree nursery can create employment. A protected wetland can provide clean water and reduce the impacts of floods. A safe public park can strengthen social cohesion and give children a place to learn, play and grow.

This is what it means to plant hope and grow resilience.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Nelson Mandela showed us that change remains possible, even when the challenges before us appear overwhelming. The challenges of poverty, inequity, climate change and environmental degradation are significant. But they are not beyond our ability to address.

They are in the hands of young people who are determined to create a better future. As we leave here today, let us not plant trees only for photographs or ceremonies. Let us plant trees that will be protected, nurtured and allowed to grow.

Let us plant not only trees, but also the seeds of dignity, opportunity, equality and lasting change. There is a well-known saying that the best time to plant a tree was many years ago. The second-best time is today. Let us plant hope, grow resilience and build communities in which both people and nature can thrive.

It is still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity.

One Legacy. One Planet. One Tree at a Time.

I thank you.

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