Ackermans is woven into the fabric of South Africa – a country led to freedom by our father of democracy, Nelson Mandela. Every year, we unite in honour of his powerful legacy and, in the spirit of Ububele, spread kindness and generosity on Mandela Day.
As a cornerstone of our annual Ububele calendar, Mandela Day offers a platform for Phadimas from all over our business – from Cape Town to Gaborone, Gqeberha to Windhoek – to come together in the spirit of giving and make a meaningful difference. Whether chopping vegetables for food parcels, packing warm meals, making sandwiches, knitting socks, or sewing reusable sandwich bags, Mandela Day encourages our Phadimas to use their time and talents to bring value to the lives of vulnerable people, elderly residents in old age homes, and families in need.
In stores, Phadimas have made over 30,000 sandwiches in one day, even bringing extra bread from home to make a greater impact. In our DCs, tight schedules didn’t stop our Phadimas from getting involved, with the teams in Hammarsdale and Kuils River making over 3,000 sandwiches in a single day to ensure no one went hungry that night.
Through the collective efforts of our Phadimas, we embrace our responsibility as a proudly South African business to make a real difference in the communities we serve, bringing value to life in a way that matters. This spirit of kindness and generosity embodies the values that Mandela himself cherished.
