Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe will deliver a national Heritage Day address in Mdantsane Township, in East London, Eastern Cape. The theme for this year’s National Heritage Day Celebrations is “Reclaiming, Restoring and Celebrating our Living Heritage”.
It seeks to promote the country’s cultural heritage as a tool to foster national pride and unity. As part of the celebrations in Mdantsane, Motlanthe will unveil the Egerton Bus Boycott Massacre Memorial Site and lay a wreath to pay respect to the victims of the fateful massacre in 1983. The celebrations coincide with the township’s 50th anniversary.
A number of Heritage Day events are taking place in Cape Town and surroundings on Tuesday. At the missionary station of Mamre in the Boland, the Community will receive more than 4 000 hectares of farming land from the state.
The Minister of Rural Development, Gugile Nkwinti will hand over the title deeds as proof of ownership. In Cape Town, a day of fun is planned at the Good Hope Castle, free of charge.
South Africans should not only look at heritage in the context of music and culture.
Activities include traditional Castle ceremonies, indigenous music, drama and period costumes on display, and in Stellenbosch, thousands of spectators are expected at a festival along the Eerste River. Well known paddlers will be taking part in the 40 minute dash along a stretch of white water.
Historian and heritage consultant Otsile Ntsoane, says South Africans should not only look at heritage in the context of music and culture. He says they should also consider natural resources like water and heritage sites.
Ntsoane says over the years emphasis has rather been placed on braais, music and cultural events.“We should not over emphasise the issue of dress codes and music when we talk about heritage. We should understand the significance of the culture landscape issues like water, water today is a very important in terms of sport in terms of energy in terms of leisure.”
“So African people in general should begin to see heritage as the most important beyond cultural practices but also to enjoy their landscape their heritage sites and parks and their trees, their flowers, the plants – those are all what we inherited from the nature,” he adds.
Motlanthe’s address will be broadcast on SABC 2 and SABC NEWS Channel 404 and will be streamed live on www.sabc/news.co.za from 10h30.
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