By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Acting President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile has urged South Africans to preserve and reimagine the nation’s diverse heritage to empower future generations.
Heritage Month is celebrated under the theme: “Re-imagine our Heritage Institutions for a New Era”, emphasising the importance of leveraging heritage as a foundation for building a dynamic, socially responsive, technologically innovative and economically inclusive future.
Mashatile delivered the keynote address during Heritage Day celebrations in Oudtshoorn on Wednesday.
“We must position our heritage institutions to contribute to the government’s efforts to deal with the pressing challenges of unemployment, social fragmentation, crime and corruption, “said Mashatile.
This can be achieved by empowering communities to challenge dominant narratives, providing secure spaces for dialogue and critical thinking, and preserving and reinterpreting marginalised histories.”
“Our heritage institutions must be more than museums of memory. They must be engines of development, laboratories of creativity, and spaces for cultural diplomacy,” he declared.
He called for a strategic shift aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and South Africa’s Vision 2030, where heritage becomes a tool to combat unemployment, social fragmentation, crime, and inequality.
“Our heritage institutions must reflect our lived experiences. They must preserve erased histories and empower future generations,” Mashatile said.
Referencing the Eastern Cape Frontier Wars, the Battle of Ncome, and the Sekhukhune wars, the Deputy President paid homage to forgotten warriors and traditional leaders who resisted colonialism and safeguarded African identity.
Mashatile decried the colonial-era beheadings and export of Khoisan and African skeletal remains to European museums, vowing government action through the National Policy for the Repatriation and Restitution of Human Remains.
Mashatile further called on families, communities, non-governmental organisations, businesses and the government to fight the scourge of drug and substance abuse, especially among the youth.
“The rate of drug abuse among our children is a concern to the government, especially as it leads to stigmatisation of young people into categories such as ‘AmaPhara’.
“I call on everyone to stand up and fight this demon that has engulfed our nation. It is our joint responsibility to combat alcohol and substance abuse and work together to eradicate similar practices in our communities.”
The UN used this year’s International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking commemoration in June to urge countries to break the cycle of drug abuse by investing in prevention.
The UN raised the alarm on the rapid growth of cocaine markets as demand rises not only in Europe but also across Africa and Asia.
Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport Ricardo Mackenzie emphasised that heritage is alive, actively shaping identities, fostering connections, and creating opportunities for growth. He highlighted Oudtshoorn, home to the renowned Cango Caves and the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees, as an example of how culture, history, and sport enrich local and national identity.
“Heritage is not just about past; it lives in our arts, food, music, storytelling, and festivals,” Mackenzie said. “It reflects who we are as a people, strengthens social cohesion, and drives economic growth through cultural and creative industries that create jobs and unite communities.”
He further stressed that recognising and celebrating each other’s stories builds understanding, bridges divides, and reminds us of our shared humanity.
As part of Heritage Day celebrations, communities across the Western Cape will host heritage walks, food festivals, cultural performances, and storytelling initiatives. A full list of events can be accessed [here].
Mackenzie concluded by urging residents to actively preserve and celebrate their heritage while reimagining its role in building an inclusive and dynamic future:
“Heritage is alive in everything we do. Let us preserve our past and celebrate our living traditions, as they continue to shape a future that is inclusive, vibrant, and united.