By Staff Reporter
news@alexreporter.co.za
A Johannesburg soup kitchen is in a better space and infinitely more equipped to meet the needs of its community after radio station HOT 102.7FM celebrated Mandela Day by devoting 67 hours of service to its refurbishment.
‘Fred & Martie’s Soup Kitchen’ in Claremont now has a new kitchen, bathrooms, Wendy house and learning centre, wheelchair ramp, basketball court, jungle gym, and therapy garden, thanks to this Hot Cares project that spanned three days.
When Mandela Day – 18 July – was launched in 2009, people were encouraged to spend just 67 minutes in service, to honour the 67 years Mandela spent in service of social justice, covering his years of activism, his years in prison, and his years as president of South Africa.
But, this Mandela Day, HOT 102.7FM wanted to do more than that to honour the legacy of South Africa’s former president, with a focus on materially changing the lives of a section of the community by doing something that would really “move the needle”.
So, starting at 18h00 on 15 July and under the strict instruction and supervision of building professionals, the HOT 102.7FM crew worked in shifts all week long, lending their DIY skills and time to ensure the 13h00 deadline – and the culmination of the 67 hours – was met on Mandela Day, with a finished renovation project.
“A truly humbling experience,” said Lloyd Madurai, Managing Director of HOT 102.7FM. “But, this is what Hot Cares is all about and helping members of the community – particularly those helping others – is very much part of the HOT 102.7FM DNA. Fred and Martie’s Soup Kitchen is such a worthy recipient and we’re grateful to have had the opportunity to make a difference, particularly with the slogan of this year’s Mandela Day being: ‘It is still in your hands to combat poverty and inequity.’”
Fred and Martie’s Soup Kitchen was founded by Fred and Martie Hughes in 1981 and has been caring for the Claremont community for over 40 years, currently feeding approximately 450 children and 150 adults every day.
The centre is now run by Fred and Martie’s daughter, Yolindi Oberholzer, who has continued the good work and legacy of her parents, ensuring the Claremeont community has a safe and reliable haven for those in need, with the soup kitchen going above and beyond just feeding hundreds of residents every day.
As a registered non-profit organisation, Fred and Martie’s Soup Kitchen obviously receives limited funding and the centre was in need of a makeover – something that was beyond the means of the Oberholzers.
“Today you guys have changed our world. We didn’t have any expectations, but you guys made it possible,” said a tearful Oberholzer.
“Something that seemed impossible to us and something we never in our wildest dreams would have imagined, expanding the kitchen, for example, and just making it so much more comfortable for us to cook for our elderly and the kids every day. We can’t thank you enough, HOT 1027! We’re just so grateful and I’m completely overwhelmed.”
For Oberholzer, watching the crew refurbish this crucial community centre where she grew up was a 67-hour emotional rollercoaster, but one with a very happy ending, and for the HOT 102.7FM members on site, it was a fitting way to honour the legacy of Madiba.
HOT 102.7FM is an award-winning commercial music radio station, broadcasting to the greater Johannesburg area with a format of “Old Skool and R&B” and a focus on playing only the hits from the 1970s, 80s, 90s and 2000s.
This music format is complemented by a presenter line-up featuring some of the biggest names in the South African radio industry, together with entertaining, amusing and compelling content, relevant news, sport and traffic information, ground-breaking on-air promotions, and legendary station parties, whilst Hot Cares does incredible work in the community, with the aim of making a meaningful difference to the lives of those less fortunate.
HOT 102.7FM was named the winner in the ‘Best Local Radio Station’ category at the Best of Joburg Readers’ Choice Awards 2022 and 2023 and walked away with the coveted ‘My Station – Most Votes’ award at the 2022 SA Radio Awards, along with being honoured for two consecutive years (2023 & 2024) at the New York Festivals Radio Awards in the United States – the ‘Oscars of the radio industry’.
