At 89 years old, Dr Marjorie Manganye is still very young at heart – and helping the elderly in her community even during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is no surprise then that she is known as the the “Mother Teresa of Alex”.  

The Itlhokomeleng Association for the Aged and Disabled in Alexandra, Gauteng, was founded in 1978 by Manganye. It accommodates people with the highest risk of contracting Covid-19 and has seen Manganye helping her community for more than four decades.

Many elderly parents are destitute with no-one to care for them, and no resources to provide for their shelter, food and health needs. Their children are frequently unemployed, due to a lack of education, and therefore live in poverty themselves.

Recently, the care home received much-needed food parcels and protective masks courtesy of the organisers of the BrightRock Battle of the Sports endurance challenge now under way in the Northern Cape.

 The BrightRock Battle of the Sports endurance challenge  is raising funds and awareness to support vulnerable groups and communities in SA affected by Covid-19. 

The parcels and masks were delivered on Friday by staff members from Right to Care, the Covid-19-orientated NGO that has supported old-age homes and older people across SA, and event sponsor BrightRock, TimesLive reports.