Mario van Niekerk

Founder | Great Commission United | Heideveld

Mario van Niekerk, founder of Great Commission United (GCU), is a remarkable changemaker from Heideveld on the Cape Flats. Once a gang member himself, Mario turned his life around after becoming a father and embracing the Christian faith. Deeply motivated to provide better opportunities for township youth, he established GCU in 2001 at just 21 years old.

Over the past two decades, Mario has stayed rooted in Heideveld, dedicating himself to empowering young people through education, sport, and community initiatives. Under his leadership, GCU has grown to support thousands weekly—with programmes including after-school tutoring, a multi-classroom Montessori early childhood development centre, feeding schemes, and sports outreach, especially football.

During the COVID-19 crisis, Mario shifted focus to food security, launching “Mother City Kitchen” to produce thousands of meals daily for the community.

One of his current projects i.e. Goal50, is an Early Childhood Development Centre, built with tyres, plastic bottles, and film set bricks—to address both infrastructure needs and environmental awareness in early education. Learn More

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Contact James: jamesfernie@uthandosa.org

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