One hundred patients in Gauteng and the North West will get free reconstructive surgery for Mandela Day.

This is part of honouring the late former president Nelson Mandela by the Clinix Health Group which will perform reconstructive surgeries at its various hospitals free of charge this month.

Chief marketing officer Matshepo Majola said the surgeries will be performed to commemorate Mandela's legacy of giving back.

"We have partnered with different public hospitals so as to help off load their patients and we get some of them to be part of our programmes. We have partnered with doctors and specialists who also give their time for free," Majola said.

The procedures include the removal of cataracts, tonsillectomies, medical circumcisions, cystoscopies, prostrate screenings, cleft lip reconstructions and the removal of fibroids.

These surgeries will be performed at Clinix's Tshepo Themba, Naledi Nkanyezi, Dr SK Matseke, Botshelong Empilweni and the Victoria Itokolle hospitals.

"This campaign was started in 2017 by the way of honouring the Nelson Mandela 67 minutes. So we give back to the communities that have supported us over the years," Majola said.

Daphne Dichabe's seven-year-old grandson is among the 100 chosen patients to receive life-changing operations. He was circumcised for free at one of the Clinix hospitals. Dichabe, 56, said her grandson always complained that the tip of his private part was itchy.

"I spoke to his parents and we decided to have him circumcised but we were told that he was still too young to be circumcised at a public hospital. I was referred to the Clinix health group who welcomed us with open hands. My grandson was circumcised on Wednesday and I am happy to say we are back at home and he is freely playing outside."

Clinix group CEO Dr Peter Matseke said: "In giving back and making a difference to the lives of our patients, we also wanted to demonstrate our commitment to the country's broader health objectives.

"For instance, in choosing medical circumcisions we want to contribute to the fight against HIV and Aids since circumcision is a pillar of this fight. We also wanted to demystify male and female reproductive health by including csytoscopies and fibroid removal."