activities
10 September 2007
Pallo Jordan, the Minister of Arts and Culture, launched the Heritage Month
programme of activities in Cape Town on 8 September 2007. September marks the
annual Heritage Month in South Africa. 24 September was declared a public
holiday under the Public Holidays Act, 1994. Heritage Month recognises aspects
of South African culture which are both tangible and intangible: creative
expression such as music and performances, our historical inheritance,
language, the food we eat as well as the popular memory.
The theme for the 2007 Heritage Month is: 'Celebrating South African
Poetry'. It resonates with the initiative undertaken by the Department of Arts
and Culture (DAC) to revitalise South African languages and literature both in
their oral and written forms. As the custodian of South Africa's heritage, the
DAC is committed to promoting a culture of reading and writing as well as
encouraging equitable development of all South African languages in the spirit
of promoting the culture of reading and writing.
The month's programme will not only commemorate or mark the importance of
poetry in our heritage, but will also have a strong developmental thrust. To
this end, the Department will host poetry workshops in all nine provinces to
train and encourage aspirant poets. The month's celebrations will culminate in
a national event on 24 September to be held in the Free State province. It is
anticipated that through this month-long programme for Heritage Month, South
Africans of all races, cultural backgrounds, languages and creeds will
participate and share each otherâs cultural heritage, as we collectively build
a united nation.
Details of the planned events are as follows:
Province date: Department of Arts and Culture
Venue: Kingsley Centre, Pretoria
Event: Facilitator's workshop
Facilitators: Professor Keorapetse Kgositsile: Zolani Mkiva, Sabata Mpho Mokae,
Jessica Mbangeni and Masoja Msiza
Date: 14 Aug 2007
Venue: Cape Town, Western Cape
Event: Launch of Heritage Day
Facilitators: Lebogang Mashile, Zolani Mkiva, Jessica Mbangeni, and Masoja
Msiza
Date: 8 September 2007
Venue: Kimberley, Northern Cape
Facilitators: Mandisa Phandliwe, Sabata-Mpho Mokae, Zolani Mkiva, Jessica
Mbangeni
Date: 12 to 13 September 2007
Venue: Mafikeng, North West province
Facilitators: Sabata Mpho-Mokae, Mandisa Phandliwe, Zolani Mkiva, Jessica
Mbangeni
Date: 14 to 15 September 2007
Venue: Gauteng, (Different venues)
Facilitators: Zolani Mkiva, Jessica Mbangeni, Masoja Msiza, Phomelelo Machika,
Sabata Mpho-Mokae, Vonani Bila, Mandisa Phandliwe
Date: 17 to 20 September 2007
Venue: Botshabelo Stadium, Free State
Event: National Heritage Day
Facilitators: Zolani Mkiva, Jessica Mbangeni, Masoja Msiza, Phomelelo Machika,
Sabata Mpho-Mokae, Vonani Bila, Mandisa Phandliwe
Date: 23 to 24 September 2007
Venue: Grahamstown, Eastern Cape
Facilitators: Zolani Mkiva and Masoja Msiza
Date: 29 September 2007
Venue: Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
Eevent: Poetry Africa
Facilitators: Masoja Msiza, Zolani Mkiva, Jessica Mbangeni, Lebogang
Mashile
Date: 1 to 6 October 2007
Venue: Polokwane, Limpopo
Facilitators: Phomelelo Machika, Vonani Bila, Zolani Mkiva
Date: 13 October 2007
Venue: Nelspruit, Mpumalanga
Facilitators: Phomelelo Machika, Vonani Bila, Zolani Mkiva
Date: 14 October 2007
Media enquiries:
Mack Lewele
Cell: 082 450 5076
Issued by: Department of Arts and Culture
10 September 2007
