Statement by the Nelson Mandela Foundation
2012/08/02
From: Sello Hatang, Spokesperson
Date: 1 August 2012
46664 (four, double six, six four) takes its name from the prison number (prisoner number 466 of 1964) given to Mr Mandela when he was incarcerated for life on Robben Island, off Cape Town, South Africa. In 2002, Mr Mandela gave this number to the Nelson Mandela Foundation Trust as a permanent reminder of the sacrifices he was prepared to make for a humanitarian and social justice cause he passionately believed in. The Nelson Mandela Foundation Trust licensed 46664 Concerts (“46664 South Africa”) in perpetuity and a pro bono basis, to use the 46664 brand in addressing issues of social injustice.
Since then, 46664 South Africa has been managed as a separate organization and has its own board.
In 2011 a license agreement was entered into between 46664 South Africa and Brand ID (a division of Seardel Group Trading (Pty) Ltd) whereby Brand ID was tasked with establishing a global fashion brand (466/64 Fashion) to create a sustainable income stream for 46664 South Africa. The agreement closely controls the investment of the funds generated through the success of the 466/64 Fashion brand and a percentage of the revenue generated from the sales of 466/64 Fashion goes directly towards funding projects that take forward Mr Mandela’s humanitarian legacy. The first funds generated have been invested into the Mandela Day Library Project 2012 which has thus far funded three libraries in underprivileged schools in South Africa. More funds are expected to be utilized for such community based initiatives.
