Ke a leboga, Modulasetulo. Tona ya lefapha, Maloko a Palamente a a leng fa ... [Thank you Chairperson. Minister, Members of Parliament present here today ...]
... hon Chairperson, I welcome this opportunity to speak on the very important topic: "Celebrating our Living Human Treasures and Heritage". This topic is very relevant, as we all know that September is Heritage Month. Heritage refers to something which is inherited from one's ancestors. It includes several different areas, such as natural heritage and cultural heritage.
Allow me to quote one of the cultural activists, Greg Richards, who said in 1996:
Cultural heritage tourism is important for various reasons; it has a positive economic and social impact, it establishes and reinforces identity, it helps preserve the cultural heritage... facilitates harmony and understanding among people.
Today we can proudly say we are South Africans, despite our diverse cultural backgrounds. We are one nation with one national identity.
National heritage sites reflect the birth and beauty of our heritage. South Africa has several national heritage sites, three of which have been selected for their cultural significance, another three for natural importance and one for a combination of both. These sites are, amongst others the Cradle of Humankind, which includes Swartkrans, Kromdraai and Environs, and Vredefort Dome.
Let me point out something important about the Vredefort Dome. It is situated 120 km from Johannesburg on the border of the North West and Free State provinces, and the greater portion of it is in the North West. It dates back 2 023 million years and it is the oldest astrobleme on the planet. It is also the site of the world's greatest known energy release event. Many activities are enjoyed in this area, from river rafting, river tubing and abseiling to horse riding, to mention but a few, creating job opportunities for our people.
The division into homelands was based not only on colour, but common culture and language, which was a strategy of divide and rule. The cultural differences were exploited for political reasons, the Balkanisation of our country. It is for this reason that today, when we are debating this important topic, we should keep in mind the Preamble to our Constitution:
We, the people of South Africa, Recognise the injustices of our past; Honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land; Respect those who have worked to build and develop our country; and Believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity.
Article 1 of the Unesco Convention against Discrimination in Education defines the term "discrimination" as -
... any distinction, exclusion, limitation or preference... based on race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin ...
Contrary to this, during the apartheid era the divisions between communities were based on race, and different laws governed education. The Bantu Education Act, Act 47 of 1953, was promulgated for Africans, the Coloured Persons Education Act, Act 47 of 1963, for coloured persons, and the Indians Education Act, Act 61 of 1965, for Indians.
These denied the majority of our people cultural education. They neglected indigenous languages and led to their underdevelopment. This led to the underdevelopment of our culture and denied us an opportunity to learn and develop our own languages. This discouraged and distorted the history of our people. There was no equal access to education and the right to learn in the mother tongue.
As this august House we have a responsibility to ensure that enough resources are allocated and programmes are in place to respond to these anomalies of distortion of our history and neglect of our mother tongues as the medium of instruction.
In its response, the ANC Freedom Charter, as adopted at the Congress of the People in Kliptown on 26 June 1955 states:
The government shall discover, develop and encourage national talent for the enhancement of our cultural life.
Article 5 in the draft Bill of Rights of the ANC, the 1993 Bill of Rights for a democratic South Africa, recognises the right of association, religion, language and culture.
Under language rights it is stated that the state shall act positively to further the development of these languages, especially in education, literature and the media, and to prevent the use of any language or languages for the purpose of domination or division. As we allocate resources in this House, the issue of development of these languages should remain a priority.
The manipulation of and attack on the cultural rights and practices of our people have manifested themselves in many ways, for example, the passing of bylaws which denied our people the right to practise their cultural beliefs. If I have to give an example, in the African culture, when there is a funeral, it is within our culture to slaughter a cow in the back yard of the bereaved family. Go tsholola madi ka setso sa rona ... [In our culture to spill blood ...]
... is an important ritual that needs to be observed. According to the bylaws that were imposed upon us it was seen as cruelty to animals.
We welcome the passing of legislation that gives recognition to our traditional healers and practices which were suppressed on the basis that they were barbaric. The practices that were observed by our people ...
... go tswa kwa ga lowe e bile di na le bokgoni ba go thusa batho ba rona [... from ancient years also have a fulfilling role in our people's lives].
This is part of our indigenous knowledge system. The Act provides for traditional healers to co-operate with western trained doctors and health institutions in our fight against prevalent diseases such as HIV/Aids. It provides for the erection of consulting rooms for those suffering from these dreaded diseases.
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa is the supreme law of the country, founded on, amongst others, the following values: human dignity, the achievement of equality, the advancement of human rights and freedoms, the supremacy of the Constitution, and the rule of law.
These values, particularly the achievement of equality and the advancement of human rights and freedoms, underpin the right of the recognition of the protection of individuals, communities or minority groups. Today there is equality, and the right to education; freedom of religion, belief and opinion; and language and culture. The Constitution promotes cultural diversity and restoration of human dignity.
South African-based journalist and sociologist, Vidya Bhandarker, too familiar with religious wars in her home country, was inspired by President Jacob Zuma's inauguration ceremony, which included prayers by various faiths, and had this to say:
I saw so much hope for the future of South Africa ... I saw a Gandhian country - tolerance, patience, forgiveness and genuine bonhomie.
The importance of the point she makes about interfaith matters links directly with the freedom we enjoy in our country today, the "freedom of religion, belief and opinion", as stated in the Constitution. In our struggle for freedom, the ANC has always ensured that there shall be freedom to worship and tolerance of all religions, and, indeed, this is what gives her hope about our country. Today we are a country at peace with itself because of the cultural tolerance amongst among our people.
The ANC draft Bill of Rights, 1993, asserts that sporting, recreational and cultural activities shall be encouraged on a nonracial basis, drawing on the talents and creative capacities of all South Africans, and autonomous organisations may be established to achieve these objectives. Our sports federations are transformed to fulfil objectives set out in this section. All South Africans participate on an equal footing to showcase their talents and to project our country as a sporting nation. Since the dawn of our democracy we have as a country used sports to promote reconciliation, social cohesion and nation-building.
Once again, the World Cup was a great success. Dr Danny Jordaan described it as the most important event since the end of apartheid in 1994. He also said: "It was a moment of special unity".
It undoubtedly brought us together. We stood and celebrated together as a nation and we supported our national team as South Africans and hoisted our flag high across the class and racial divide. I thank you.