Pretoria – South Africans will have an opportunity to tell their story during Heritage Month, in September.
Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa will launch this year’s Heritage Month under the theme: “Celebrating 20 years of democracy: tell your story that moves South Africa forward,” on Sunday, in Gauteng.
Briefing reporters during a post-Cabinet briefing in Cape Town on Thursday, Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Jeff Radebe, said among the projects identified to advance the “Tell Your Story” campaign are the reburial of world renowned journalist, Nat Nakasa and struggle icon Moses Kotane.
“Repatriations of unsung heroes provide South Africans with an opportunity to learn more about their personal struggles, the circumstance that led to them in living in exile and the impact they had on the liberation of our country,” he said.
Minister Mthethwa brought home Nakasa’s remains from the United States on Tuesday, where he was buried 49-years ago. The reburial of his remains will be held at Heroes’ Acre in Chesterville, Durban, on 13 September.
This year’s main Heritage Day event will take place in Mahikeng, North-West.
Other events
The annual National Book Week will start from 1 to 7 September under the theme: “Going Places,” focusing on the power of books and how they can ‘figuratively’ and ‘literally’ take South Africans to places.
Minister Radebe said events are planned in all the provinces and will include reading in indigenous languages, storytelling and motivational talks, word-a-thons, poetry sessions and book debates.
However, on 3 September, South Africa will commemorate the 30th anniversary protested against rent increases, poor service delivery and an illegitimate and defunct local government.
The Vaal Uprising introduced a new period of sustained protest that spread to large parts of the country, prompting the apartheid authorities to declare a state of emergency. - SAnews.gov.za
