Keynote address by Acting President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile on the occasion of the commemoration of Heritage Day at Meqheleng Stadium, Ficksburg

Programme Directors, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Gayton McKenzie and MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Ms Ntombizanele Beauty Sifuba;
Our Host, the Premier of Free State Province, Ms Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae and all MEC’s here present;
Honourable Ministers present here present;
Executive Mayor of Thabo Mofutsanyane District Municipality, Cllr Connie Msibi;
Mayor of Setsoto Local Municipality, Cllr Seipati Mbiwe;
All Councillors and MMC’s here present;
Chairperson of the Free State Provincial House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders; Morena Mopedi
All Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders present;
Faith-Based and Civil Society Leaders;
The Clergy;
Senior Government Officials;
Sign Language Interpreters assisting us today;
Members of the media here present;
Our sign language interpreters;
People of our beautiful land, South Africa;

Goeie Môre! Molweni! Sanibonani! Thobela! Avuxeni! Ndi Matsheloni! Dumelang!

It is a great honour and privilege to address you at this significant occasion as we celebrate our country’s Heritage Day. Unfortunately, as we were looking forward to this day, some parts of our country which include Kwa-Zulu Natal, Eastern Cape and Free State were impacted by severe weather conditions, exacerbated by climate change.

In celebrating our heritage, we must be alive to the impact of climate change on not only our wellbeing, but also on our culture. Extreme weather conditions such as those witnessed over the past few days affect some of our cultural and heritage sites, therefore undermining our national goals to protect and preserve our culture for generations to come.

We empathise with those who were affected by the widespread extreme weather. We would also like to commend Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, and Government Departments for their prompt and robust multi-sectoral response. Additionally, we commend the provinces that were impacted for their prompt activation of their disaster response structures.

The Response teams led by NATJOINTS remain on standby to respond to any eventualities, and continue to assist affected communities. Even while these teams are committed to helping and saving those in need, we nonetheless ask that our people exercise caution and pay close attention to any warnings issued by the South African Weather Service. 

These meteorological conditions emphasise even more how important it is to increase our investments in technology that may improve weather predictions. 

We can save lives by providing early warnings of storms, heat waves, and disasters. Our sincere condolences to the families of those who have lost their loved ones.

In addition, I would like to urge the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture to explore policy considerations concerning the impact of climate change on our historical heritage, but also provide direction on how best we can preserve our national identity in this era of multiple global challenges.

Compatriots,

As we celebrate heritage month, which coincides with tourism month, we should use this opportunity to showcase to the nation the significance of our heritage sites across the country as tourist destinations of choice that have the potential to contribute to socio-economic development, promote people-to-people relations and enhance social cohesion.

On this day, we should also celebrate our cultural diversity, our inherited sense of family identity, our traditions, cultural wealth, and artefacts passed down through the generations, particularly since the dawn of democracy.

As we have gathered here today, we should reflect on 30 years of democracy, which in itself is a milestone that underlines our diversity and heritage. It is also critical that we recognise and remember the courageous individuals such as JB Marks and Moses Kotane and many others who gave their all for the great gift of our freedom. 

As a result, we celebrate this heritage month in accordance with the Constitution's Preamble, which instructs us to:
“Recognise the injustices of our past and honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land; heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice, and fundamental human rights.”

Therefore, this year's theme of, "Celebrating the Lives of Our Heroes and Heroines Who Laid Down Their Lives for Our Freedom," is fitting because it allows us to honour the lives of those who confronted adversity with unflinching bravery, and stood up against injustice and oppression, and finally gave their lives so that you and I could enjoy the fruits of democracy, which include equality, dignity and freedom for all.

The commemoration of our heritage is a result of the sacrifices and efforts of those who came before us, fighting against apartheid and championing social justice and human rights. 

It is therefore important that we, as a nation, preserve the memory of those who fought for our freedom. They have dedicated and sacrificed their lives to the defence of our country, as well as the assertion of the values and principles that must be upheld. It is because of their bravery, resilience, and resolute commitment that we have a brighter future for generations to come.

Compatriots, 

As a nation, we should engrave the names of our struggle heroes in our hearts and teach new generations about their contribution to our nation as a way of reminding ourselves that our freedom was not free.

As part of this process, and in honour of the freedom fighters who have made the ultimate sacrifice, we will be honouring those who have fallen outside of our country’s borders. A homecoming ceremony will be taking place, this Friday on the 27th of September 2024, in which President Ramaphosa will officially receive the repatriated remains from Zambia and Zimbabwe. 

Among the remains to be repatriated to South Africa are those of struggle stalwarts Adv. Duma Nokwe, Mama Florence Mophosho, and Basil February. Let me thank Ministers Mc Kenzie, Motshekga, Nonstsho and their teams for having made this task possible.
The repatriation of the remains from Zambia and Zimbabwe forms part of the Resistance and Liberation Heritage Route Project. As a national memory project, this initiative aims to commemorate, celebrate, educate, promote, preserve, conserve, and provide a durable testament to South Africa's road to freedom.

The exhumations and the Spiritual Repatriation and Reburial Project is just one of many important activities taking place during this month. In addition, to the heroes and heroines of our national liberation struggle, we also acknowledge many other remarkable individuals across the spectrum, who contributed to our freedom.

Our activists and contributors to our struggle for democracy include artists and intellectuals who used their creative talent and vision to draw attention to the realities and demands of our national liberation struggle. It also includes ordinary men and women who provided shelter to those who were hunted down by the apartheid regime. We thank most sincerely the peoples of Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Tanzania, Mozambique, Lesotho, Botswana and many other countries that welcomed our freedom fighters and looked after our fallen heroes.

Siyabonga, re ya leboga! No words can be enough to thank you!

Fellow Compatriots,

Three decades into democracy, we continue to celebrate our Heritage while we acknowledge that there are many challenges confronting our communities which include triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and unemployment. To tackle these ongoing challenges, we must unite and celebrate our diversity while striving to create a more equal society where opportunities are not determined by colour, gender, class, or religion.

This would entail increasing people's skills through access to equal education opportunities, quality health care for all, and provision of basic amenities, as well as facilitating work opportunities and shifting economic ownership patterns.

Furthermore, we must work together as government, interfaith, civil society formations and traditional leaders, to eliminate persisting inequalities and Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) which is prevalent in our communities. All acts of criminality, and GBVF undermine government efforts to foster the culture of social cohesion and moral regeneration.

We must not let anybody conceal evil acts of abuse under the guise of one’s belief system and culture. It has to be said that no nation can condone any form of abuse against women, children and those most vulnerable within society, including the LGBTQIA+ community.
To demonstrate our commitment to the fight against GBVF, the government has introduced new laws protecting women and children. 

On 24 May 2024, the President signed the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Bill into law.
This new legislation is a significant step towards protecting women and children from abuse and violence, by way of establishing a council to provide strategic leadership in the fight against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.

We must further confront the issues related to heritage resources in public spaces, which continue to pose a challenge in defining our collective cultural identity and building a nation united in its diversity.

In our country, the impact of apartheid remains visible, and the wounds of past divisions and inequalities remain unresolved. Therefore, we need to continue to build on that which unites us and deal with issues that seek to divide us as a nation. 

It is through understanding and celebrating our shared heritage that we can begin to bridge the gaps that divide us and move forward as a united and inclusive society.

The reality of our political climate under the Government of National Unity, also gives us an opportunity to collectively re-imagine what the heritage of good governance in South Africa can look like. Our ability to look beyond our differences and converge on the shared agenda to bring about inclusive growth, job creation and poverty reduction is one of the examples that the government is showing its commitment to uniting through diversity. 

Fellow Compatriots,

As different sectors of society, we must collaborate with the South African Heritage Resource Agency to develop community abilities and capacities to help identify and protect heritage resources.

We have to guard and protect our heritage from forms of neglect and threats such as natural disasters, urbanisation, globalisation and developments that pose challenges to the preservation of our most treasured landmarks, artefacts, and traditions. 

All communities from the Free State Province, including Ficksburg, have the responsibility to protect and preserve historical sites like the Old Prison Cells and the General Fick Museum. We must educate young people about the significance of such sites because they are an important part of who we are and where we come from.

We must recognise the value of heritage conservation not just for conserving the past but also for moulding our future. Our heritage is more than simply a collection of artefacts from the past; it shapes who we are as a people and where we are heading towards as a country.

We have to protect both our tangible and intangible heritage. As people, we are connected yet distinct in our living heritage, which includes oral history, belief systems, cultural practices, rituals, popular memory, skills, methods and indigenous knowledge systems, which inform our view of nature, society, and relationships.

These attributes are the foundation of all communities and are an essential source of our nation's identity. If we preserve intangible cultural heritage, we will be able to keep our integrity, values, and respect for one another as a nation.

We call on all our stakeholders - families, NGOs, traditional and interfaith leaders, educational institutions, businesses, as well as the media to play a role in the promotion and protection of our intangible cultural heritage.

Languages are among the most important aspects of our intangible heritage that we should protect. We should take pride in speaking our native languages, as they are a key attribute of our culture.

We should also learn each other’s languages. Learning each other's dialects will make it easier to understand and celebrate each other's culture with mutual respect. We urge intellectuals, knowledge holders, language practitioners and organisations like the Pan South African Language Board to share their wisdom, and continue to implement programmes that will help to prevent linguistic knowledge extinction especially in our younger generation.

As South Africa continues to develop, it is crucial to preserve our heritage for generations to come. We must cherish, protect, and celebrate the monuments, sites, and traditions that define our unique identities, ensuring that they are passed on to future generations.

Most importantly, while we celebrate our rich past and unique culture, we must remember the sacrifices made by those who fought for our independence. May we never forget the price paid for our freedom, and may we always remember the lives of our heroes and heroines who sacrificed everything for our country.

As former President Nelson Mandela said when delivering his address during Heritage Day in 1996:
“When our first democratically-elected government decided to make Heritage Day one of our national days, we did so because we knew that our rich and varied cultural heritage has a profound power to help build our new nation.”

Let us work together to preserve our legacy, protect our past, and shape our country for a better future.

Thank you, Ha khensa, Inkomu!