In her maiden budget vote speech the MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Mrs Mathabo Leeto, announced that the Department will host the Social Cohesion Dialogues in the four districts of the Free State as Mangaung Metro as part of the programme of building a non-racial, non- sexist and prosperous Free State. Mrs Leeto also stated during the budget vote that the Provincial Social Cohesion Summit will immediately follow the staging of the District Social Cohesion Dialogues.
Following the MEC’s injunction the Dialogues will be staged as follows:
- 7 August at 10h00: Mangaung Metro Bloemfontein Bloemfontein City Hall
- 13 August at 10h00: Xhariep Gariep Dam Gariep Dam Town Hall
- 15 Augustat 10h00: Lejweleputswa Welkom PS Du Plessis Side Hall – Freddy Meyer Building
- 28 Augustat 10h00: Thabo Mofutsanyana Bethlehem Bethlehem Town Hall
The concept of “social cohesion” is used to infer how we, as South Africans, are united and striving towards our common goals; how we recognise our common humanity in meaningful ways which involve realising basic human needs, such as descent shelter, food, meaningful work, tolerance, respect, family and friendship.
Social cohesion embodies a struggle with dynamic tensions between the realities of social difference and the quest for the attainment of democratic aspiration for social equality and justice.
Some of the realities of social difference in South Africa include issues such as racism, ethnicity, gender and disability and all the kinds of stereotypes which emerge from these issues.
By hosting these dialogues, the department aims to mobilise the society, especially minority groups and vulnerable groups (women, youth and children) in its totality, to work together to build a caring and proud society, based upon:
- A shared value system
- Inclusive society and economy
- Build strong leadership across society and mobilised, active and responsible citizenship
- Vision that is informed by the constitutional principles of Ubuntu, human rights, social solidarity, active citizenship and civic responsibility.
These dialogues will be attended by delegates from all walks of life, ranging from minority groups, church leaders, political parties, non-governmental organisations, business entities and so on.
The Social Cohesion Dialogues are hosted by the Free State Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation in partnership with the national Department of Arts and Culture; Department of Police, Roads and Transport; Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs; Department of Agriculture and Rural Development; Department of Education; Department of Social Development and the Mangaung Metro Municipality.
“These Social Cohesion Dialogues are another step closer to the realisation of the National Development Plan’s goals of achieving a society that will be more conscious of the things it has in common than its differences. The society that will be more accepting of people's multiple identities”, stated Mrs Leeto.
All the above mentioned District Dialogues will culminate into the Provincial Social Cohesion Dialogues to be hosted on 29 August 2014.
Your media house is invited to cover the event.
Media enquiries:
Tankiso Zola
Tel: 051 4104742/4786/4719
Cell: 082 940 2392
E-mail: tankiso@sacr.fs.gov.za
General enquiries:
Mike Moitse
Tel: 051 410 4700
Cell: 083 380 8895
E-mail: moitse@sacr.fs.gov.za
