YOGAN NAIDOO
TONGAAT, a South African community that has weathered the storms of modern history, finds itself once again rising in the face of calamity.
The scars of Covid-19, the unrest and floods are fresh, and now deepened by the ravaging tornado, a harsh blow upon a people already familiar with struggle. Yet, amidst the hardship, an unyielding spirit flickers.
This spirit thrives in the selfless acts that bridge the chasm between those in need and those offering a helping hand. It's a distinctly South African trait, forged in the fires of shared struggle – the ability to mobilise, to come together in unwavering solidarity.
The Tongaat Hindu Unity Forum embodies this spirit.
Our annual Arise Awake Youth Day Fun Run, traditionally a commemoration of the courage shown by the Class of 1976, fighters against apartheid, takes on a new dimension this year. It becomes a walk for hope, a 5km testament to the unyielding human spirit.
This walk is for Tongaat, a beacon shining brightly in the face of despair. It's a walk for those who have lost loved ones, for those who have seen their homes ravaged, and for the countless heroes who have journeyed from across the nation to lend a helping hand.
Join us on Sunday, June 16. Walk with us, as a family, as friends, as fellow South Africans. Let's stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Tongaat, a community that refuses to be broken. Let's show them they are not alone. Join us in an interfaith prayer seeking divine providence over our community and the nation.
The Arise Awake walk will start with registration at 7am at the Buffelsdale Stadium at 23 Dahlia Place. The walk will start at 8am. The minimum donation is R20. All proceeds will go towards the Tongaat Tornado Disaster Relief.
The first 3 000 entrants will get T-shirts and the first 2 000 finishers will get medals. Primary and secondary schools in Tongaat with the most participants (minimum 150), will receive a data projector and screen.
For more information, call 073 356 5918, 083 384 0190 or 083 799 5651.
Naidoo is the public relations officer of the Tongaat Hindu Unity Forum