Free Madiba birthday special serves over 10000

When a public challenge was issued to Nando's last week by SABC2's Morning Live to better its offer of free meals to everyone 90 years and older in honour of Nelson Mandela's birthday, Kevin Utian, Nando's MD, immediately picked up the gauntlet. He opened up the offer to include every South African who shares a birthday with Madiba, and by the end of business on Friday, 18 July, an astonishing 10,800 free birthday meals had been dished out to South Africans around the country.

“The campaign was initiated as a celebration of Madiba's sheer passion for life and all other incredible nonagenarians who share that spirit with him,” says Nando's SA marketing manager Sylvester Chauke. “We were excited by Morning Live's challenge because it not only offered us an opportunity to extend our charitable hand even further, but it also afforded us the opportunity to do what we do best - display our insurmountable bravery!”

Verification of age or birth date by way of presenting their ID books was all that was needed to be able to celebrate your birthday with Madiba and celebrations took place at all 270 Nando's restaurants countrywide.

“We combined our proudly South African roots with our unconventional approach and innovation with this one and we're sure Madiba will be proud - although our competitors' feathers are left a little ruffled!” laughs Chauke.

The day was also one to remember as the pensioners of the Park Cottage Old Age Home in Lorentzville were bussed to Eastgate Shopping Centre for lunch at the Nando's restaurant there. Perhaps the day should be made a holiday and dubbed “Free Nando's Day” in future...