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Page 19SANCOR NEWSLETTER #200SANCCOB and friends celebrate Mandela Day with a beach clean‐upBirthday greetings from the SouthBy Francois LouwSouthern African Foundation for the Conservationof Coastal Birds (SANCCOB)Mandela Day is celebrated every year onNelson Mandela’s birthday – 18 July ‐ tohonour his legacy and his values, throughvolunteering and community service. Withthe onus on caring for our seabirds and marineenvironment, SANCCOB hosted a beachclean‐up at Lagoon Beach to clean the seasidearea by collecng lier and rubble for67 minutes.The event was opened by Margaret Roestorf(SANCCOB’s Acng CEO) and Nicky Stander(SANCCOB’s Rehabilitaon Manager) whoemphasised to the 100+ crowd why it is soimportant to keep our seaside areas cleanfor the sake of preserving our marine life forfuture generaons. Bole‐caps, fishing lines,rope and plasc bags found on beaches aresome of the many potenally fatal items toseabirds. As a working seabird hospital,SANCCOB regularly sees the harm that suchseemingly insignificant everyday items cancause to African penguins, gulls, cormorantsand many of the other seabirds that we admit365 days a year.The enthusiasc crowd included membersfrom the Blouberg Beach Cleanup team,Naonal finalists from Miss Earth South Africain associaon with Console, Cape TownSurfers Webazine, Junior Juncon pre‐schooland the ER24 Milnerton Crew. MilnertonMunicipality was kind to assist with providinglier bags for the day and was very helpfulwith the collecon of the countless bagswith the conclusion of the event.SANCCOB is a leading marine‐orientated non‐profit organizaon which has treated morethan 90 000 oiled, ill, injured or abandonedAfrican penguins and other threatened seabirdssince being established in 1968. Independentresearch confirms that the wildAfrican populaon is 19% higher directly dueto SANCCOB’s efforts.By Leonora Finca, Samantha Ockhuis,Sandra Setati and Dayne WilliamsInterns from the Department of Environmental AffairsIt was on the 18th July 2012, onboard the SAAgulhas II on its maiden cruise to the SouthernOcean, that the ship had sailed throughthe “Roaring Fores” and traversing the“Furious Fiies”, the latude was 57°Southalong the Greenwich Meridian longitudinalline that an idea was born.What seemed like an innocent suggesonwas transformed to serious acon. Armedwith spades, hands, buckets and anythingthat could scoop, a few people began digginginto the thick snow that accumulated overtwo days on the “a” deck. Working withenergy and synchronizaon, crew membersturned the potenal slip hazard into a meaningfulpile with a special message.The message was directed to former SApresident, Nobel‐Laureate and global legendin our life me, Dr Nelson Rolihlala Mandela.Those aending the event were treated to a meet-and-greet with SANCCOB’s veryown Rockhopper penguin, Rocky, who was there to thank everyone for giving their67-minutes with SANCCOB on the special day.Above: All hands on deck as crew membersarrange a birthday tribute forMadiba from the Southern Oceans onMandela Day. Photos by Darrel Andersand Mutshutshu Tsanwani.MANDELA DAY CELEBRATIONS