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Nathi Mazibuko

The security guard feeding the homeless

Nathi Mazibuko in the Flames of Hope Office in Hillbrow, Gauteng © Thom Pierce 2023

The night-time fires that Nathi Mazibuko built during his shifts as a security guard were simply meant to ward off the piercing cold on winter nights, yet they drew others towards him, inadvertently sparking his journey as an Actionist. 


Working in downtown Johannesburg was a lonely experience until he invited others to sit with him around his fire. Over time, he formed relationships with street kids and sex workers, learning about their life experiences first-hand.


From these relationships grew his passion to make a difference in people’s lives, ultimately planning to open an orphanage and drug rehabilitation centre in the future. Although his resources were limited, his ambitions weren’t. Armed with nothing but the encouragement of a friend, he decided to start.


Nathi borrowed money from some friends, cooked a meal of rice and beef stew and took it to a nearby park to offer the homeless people who lived there a decent meal. This is how the Flames of Hope Foundation was started.


    “I was very happy, it was like a dream come true. Because it had always been in my heart that, one day, if I could get enough money, I want to do this.”


The informal feeding scheme turned into a weekly event, cooking and serving food in the park, using his own money to fund the initiative. Soon he was offered a space at the Twilight Children’s Home in Hillbrow, Johannesburg where he now runs a feeding scheme every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 3 p.m.


Up to 500 people turn up for every meal. The children are served first and then the adults. After the meal, the children are invited to join an after-school programme which provides extra lessons to around 100 kids, six days a week, in partnership with Innovation of Excellence.


For the first two years, Nathi paid for everything from his own salary but Flames of Hope now has financial support and food donations from various sponsors including  The Angel Network SA, One Moment Foundation, Pauli's Food Company and Gift Of The Givers.


    “I’ve realised that if you do this community work and expect someone to say ‘thank you’, you will get disappointed. You do it for the sake of helping.”


For both the feeding scheme and the after-school programme Nathi relies on the help of volunteers from the local community. His passion and enthusiasm for change is what keeps them coming back, day after day.  


His dedication is astonishing. Nathi still works a 12-hour night shift as a security guard from 6pm to 6am. He then runs the foundation during the day, leaving very little time for sleep.

CREATED FOR positive activism © 2025

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