This year’s Heritage Day celebrations are taking place in Mdantsane, said to be the second biggest township in South Africa (after Soweto).
Mdantsane celebrates 50 years of existence this year after being formed through forced removals from other parts of the Eastern Cape. During Apartheid, Mdantsane formed part of the Ciskei homeland. The current Premier of the Eastern Cape, Noxolo Kiviet hails from the area.
Most people in Mdantsane live below the living wage, but the area is experiencing a significant growth in its middle class.
In its formative years, crime in Mdantsane was said to be minimal and to a large extent that is still true today. The crime rate in Mdantsane, based on 2012-2013 SAPS crime statistics and 2011 Census data, is 2.47 crimes per 100 000 people, which is significantly lower than the Eastern Cape average of 3.29 and much lower than the national average of 4.29.
The total number of reported crimes in Mdantsane has dropped steadily from 2004, when there were 5796 reported crimes, to 3875 in 2013. There were 79 murders reported in 2004, compared with 36 in 2013.
This year’s Heritage Day celebration are taking place under the theme “Reclaiming, restoring and celebrating our living heritage”. Deputy President Kgalema Mothlante is addressing the celebration on Tuesday.
Living heritage refers to cultural tradition, oral history, ritual, performance, indigenous knowledge, and social relationships. Living heritage is seen as an essential source of identity and continuity. In South Africa the term “intangible cultural heritage” is used interchangeable with the term “living heritage”.
“Living heritage plays an important role in promoting cultural diversity, social cohesion, reconciliation, peace and economic development in South Africa,” says the DAC in a statement.
“In every community there are living human treasures who possess a high degree of knowledge, skills and history pertaining to different aspects of South African diverse living heritage…It is therefore important for South Africans to reclaim, restore and preserve various aspects of South Africa`s diverse living heritage in order to accelerate the use of living heritage to address challenges communities are facing today.”
For images of Mdantsane, click below:
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