A South African-inspired event in the UK, hosted by expat Mellissa Mallaya-Pandya, has raised money that will benefit a children’s home in Durban.
Mallaya-Pandya has been reaching out to organisations in need and helping families affected by natural disasters with food hampers and funds.
Last week, Mallaya-Pandya of the Mystic Sisters hosted a “Saffa dinner & Jol” at a London restaurant, with a South African inspired menu that included chilli bites, bredie and peppermint crisp tart, a complementary Springbok shooter and a DJ playing popular Mzansi music.
A few years after moving from Durban to the UK, Mallaya-Pandya started Saffa Sisterhood, a platform for South Africans, especially women globally, to connect with people they can relate with from back home.
South African actor, stand-up comic and content creator Prev Reddy partnered with Saffa Sisterhood and entertained about 50 people who attended the Saffa dinner in London last week.
Reddy was in the UK performing in his show, Prev Reddy is a Triple Threat, which played at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.
Mallaya-Pandya said it was the second time she has hosted such an event in the UK.
“It was South African-inspired but open to anyone who wanted to experience the culture, tradition, humour and the food.
“This was the second time that Prev joined the Saffa event and provided entertainment at no charge. We charged people 50 pounds for a three-course dinner. South African businesses in the UK and SA sponsored products and prizes, which were raffled during the dinner and monies raised will be donated to Lakehaven Children’s Home in Durban. Prev will be handing over R7 500 to the homes when he returns to Durban,” said Mallaya-Pandya.
Following the July riots in 2021 and the floods in Durban in 2022, Mallaya-Pandya and her team on the ground in Durban facilitated fundraising initiatives and organised food parcels for families in need.
In June, Mallaya-Pandya used money from the sale of tickets for the Saffa dinner, together with the contribution from a well-wisher from Dubai, and organised meat parcels for people affected by the tornado that wreaked havoc in oThongathi.
Reddy said the Saffa event is a lovely opportunity for expats to come together and have a bit of home.
“Apart from it being a fundraising event to help people back home, it is also a nice South African get together for people to make new friends and be more comfortable,” said Reddy.
Reddy is planning to take his show on tour in the UK and other countries.
Sunday Tribune