Sports, Arts and Culture Deputy Minister Nocawe Mafu says South Africans need something positive to look forward to such as government assurance that efforts are being made to revive the economy, as the country marks Heritage Day.
President Cyril Ramaphosa will virtually deliver the 2020 National Heritage Day keynote address around midday under the theme ‘Celebrating South Africa’s Living Human Treasures’.
This year’s Heritage Month is dedicated to living human treasures that include Dr Esther Mahlangu, Madosini Latozi Mpahleni and Ouma Katrina Esau.
As part of the celebrations and in their honour, three books that acknowledge the contribution of these these great women to nation-building have been launched.
Mafu says the spirits of South Africans need to be lifted as they struggle to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
“We have to look at things that must actually lift up the community. Government has a big role to play – to make sure that at least we (are) reviving the economy of this country. That’s why one of the things that we are looking forward to under alert level one lockdown, is that the sooner we are able to go back to our normal activities, the better. That also means that despite all these negative things, we have to make sure that we don’t put ourselves in the second wave of COVID-19,” explains the deputy minister.
In the video below, the deputy minister speaks about celebrating Heritage Day under lockdown:
