Many ways to spend Mandela Day

Support the Chatsworth Youth Centre and Revolution Motorcycle Club's blanket and jacket collection drive for the rural Ofafa community of KwaZulu-Natal's South Coast.

MANDELA DAY

 Drop off food, blankets, jackets and other warm clothing at the Chatsworth Youth Centre, or pay for blankets, which will be provided. Blankets cost R50 each. Deposit your donation at Revolution Motorcycle Club, Standard Bank Chatsworth, cheque account 250643308, branch code 044126. Reference: Blankets. Contact 0839813506.

.LOTUS FM is collecting school jerseys, raincoats and shoes for underprivileged schoolchildren. Drop off your donations at the radio station's offices at 100 KE Masinga Road, Durban. Contact Lotus FM marketing on 0313625018 for more information.

.HELP paint murals on hospital walls along with clinical psychologist Ruth Benjamin, who is organising Mandela Day activities for Thursday and the rest of July in Johannesburg. Companies looking for something to get their staff involved in, can contact her on 0842846452 or ian.h@telkomsa.net.

.VISIT mandeladay.com to see a list of Mandela Day activities in your area.

COMEDY

.EAST London, the famously wise-cracking radio "uncles" Bala and Peru are headed your way - and they are bringing naughty comedian Karou Charou with them. Catch them at The Venue at Hemingways Casino on Saturday at 8pm. Tickets to their show, the Peru and Bala National Tour, are R130 each through Computicket.

THEATRE

.BOTOO, a play about local political activist and medic Dr Goonam (Kesaveloo Goonaruthnum), will be at the Durban Playhouse's Loft theatre from August 8 to 17. It is written and directed by Ronnie Govender and forms part of the South African Women's Arts Festival 2013, which will run at the Playhouse from July 25 to August 17. Tickets start at R15 each through Computicket.

.PETER Pan - The Ballet is at the Port Elizabeth Opera House from Thursday to Saturday this week. There are four shows to choose from. Tickets begin at R65 through Computicket.

MUSIC

.AR RAHMAN Nite is a free concert taking place at the Shri Mariammen Temple Grounds, Mount Edgecombe, on Saturday evening. It will feature hits by AR Rahman (Indian composer, singer-songwriter, music producer, multi-instrumentalist, musician and philanthropist), including Tamil songs, performed by four local musicians. A marquee and chairs will be provided, but dress warmly and take along a cushion. Contact 0315073246 for more information.

FILM

.THE 34th Durban International Film Festival brings 72 feature films, 48 documentaries and 45 short films from around the world to local shores from Thursday to July 28. The films will be screened at 11 venues in Durban. Midnight's Children, directed by Deepa Mehta; Miss Lovely, directed by Ashim Ahluwalia; Monsoon Shootout, directed by Amit Kumar and the locally made short film The Hajji, directed by Zwelethu Radebe, are some of the films on the programme. Visit durbanfilmfest.co.za for the full schedule, show times and venues. Tickets are available through Computicket, from R25 each.

.JOHANNESBURG'S Air Cinema Club hosts a screening of Casablanca at the Alex theatre on 36 Stiemens Street, Braamfontein, on August 3 at 6pm. Tickets are from R120 each at webtickets.co.za.

YOUTH

.CREATE a video clip or short film that embodies the MTV brand in the MTV Art Beat project, and you may be the lucky young designer to secure a six-week internship at the entertainment company's headquarters in Johannesburg. Your clip must feature the MTV logo in some way and adhere to one of four themes - Smart and Fun is the New Rock'n'Roll; Super-Now and Fast Forward; Warm is the New Cool; or Celebrate Heroes Big and Small.

The contest is open to people between 18 and 25 who are students at South African tertiary education institutions, or recently graduated students in South Africa who have been working in the broadcast or content industry for less than two years. Visit mtv.co.za/artbeat to download logos and find out more.

RELIGION

.THE Umhlanga Hindu Society observes the Amman prayer from 10am next Sunday at 46 Hambridge Avenue, Somerset Park, Umhlanga.

The programme will include maha velvie/hawan, bhajans, divine chants, meditation and a discourse by Swami Siva Yogananda from the Saiva Sithantham Sungum of South Africa. Contact 0315727357 for additional information.