By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on the private sector, corporate sponsors, philanthropists, heritage organisations and other stakeholders to play an important role to protect and conserve historical, cultural and natural heritage sites for future generations.
Ramaphosa made the call in his weekly newsletter to the nation on Monday, ahead of the Heritage Day celebrations.
South Africa will on Tuesday observe Heritage Day, where citizens will celebrate the rich cultural tapestry that makes up the nation.
By working together as government, business and society, we can use our national heritage to uplift communities, create opportunities and make us all proud to be South African,” he explained.
He highlighted that South Africa is perfectly placed to use its rich cultural and natural heritage to promote economic growth.
He said South Africa is home to no less than eight world heritage sites proclaimed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, including Robben Island, the Mapungubwe Heritage Site and the Cradle of Humankind, as well as several important ecosystems such as the Cape Floral Kingdom and the iSimangaliso Wetland Park in KwaZulu-Natal.
Ramaphosa pointed out that while heritage preservation is a responsibility of government, the private sector, corporate sponsors, philanthropies, heritage organisations and other stakeholders also have an important role to play in ensuring these legacies are safeguarded for future generations.
He explained that private-sector support for heritage preservation is uneven.
“While some high-profile heritage sites like Robben Island, the Mandela House in Soweto, Constitution Hill and others receive donor funding, other less prominent institutions, events and initiatives struggle to obtain support,” he said.
He highlighted that as a result many important sites of memory have fallen into disrepair, noting that this is a wasted opportunity, because a number of these sites could stimulate local economies and provide work opportunities to the communities in which they are situated.’
Protecting and conserving historical, cultural and natural heritage sites is also vitally important for nation-building and national reconciliation, Ramaphosa stated.
He explained that as one of the world’s most mega biodiverse countries, South Africa’s natural heritage attracted tourists from around the world, supporting local job creation and investment in natural resource infrastructure.
By way of example, in December 2023 alone, there were more than 400 000 visitors to sites like the Table Mountain National Park and Robben Island. Coupled with this is an abundance of historical sites across the country that span the pre-colonial, colonial, apartheid and democratic eras,” he said.