South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that he will donate half of his presidential salary towards a fund that has been established in memory of Nelson Mandela, the country’s first black president.

Ramaphosa, the former trade union leader and head of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) disclosed the decision on Thursday while leading a debate in parliament on the presidency’s budget vote.

The money, whose exact amount and duration is currently undisclosed will go into a fund to be administered by the Nelson Mandela fund which will be known as the Nelson Mandela Thuma Mina Fund.

The date set for the launch of the fund which Ramaphosa said was a private, citizen-driven initiative that will ask all of those with the means to contribute a small portion of their salaries to support numerous projects to build the nation, has been slated for July 18 – the birthday of Nelson Mandela. 

“I have, and this is a private initiative, decided to contribute half of my Presidential salary to a fund that will be managed by the Nelson Mandela Fund. 

“This is a private, citizen-driven initiative that will ask all of those with the means to contribute a small portion of their salaries to support the many projects to build the nation. 

“This fund, through discussions that we have had with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, will be launched on the 18th of July to mark the 100th anniversary of Madiba’s birth and will be called the Nelson Mandela Thuma Mina Fund,” Ramaphosa said.

The announcement came as the country prepares to commemorate the centenary of two anti-apartheid icons – Nelson Mandela and Albertina Sisulu.