Eastern Cape to host 23rd National Oral History Conference in Gqeberha
The National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), Eastern Cape Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (DSRAC) and Oral History Association of South Africa (OHASA) will host the 23rd National Oral History Conference in Gqeberha from 12–16 October 2026.
Held under the theme “Voices Across Time and Space: Oral Histories of Resistance, Collaboration and Resilience,” the conference will bring together researchers, historians, academics, heritage practitioners, storytellers and communities from across the country to engage with South Africa’s diverse oral histories and the importance of documenting, preserving and sharing them.
The conference is an important national platform for advancing oral history as a means of preserving lived experiences, community memory and histories that may not always be adequately represented in conventional historical records.
The 2026 theme places particular emphasis on histories of resistance, collaboration and resilience, creating space to examine how individuals and communities have navigated struggle, social change and transformation across different periods of South Africa’s history.
Hosting the conference in the Eastern Cape provides a particularly significant setting for these conversations. The province occupies an important place in South Africa’s social, political and cultural history and carries a rich legacy of resistance, community organisation, intellectual thought and cultural heritage.
Against this backdrop, the conference will provide an opportunity to connect local and community histories with broader national conversations about memory, identity, heritage and the preservation of South Africa’s historical record for future generations.
The five-day programme will feature:
- Presentations by oral-history researchers, academics, heritage practitioners and other contributors from across South Africa;
- Panel discussions exploring oral history, memory, heritage, resistance, collaboration and resilience;
- Discussions on contemporary approaches to documenting, preserving and sharing oral histories;
- Book launches and related heritage and knowledge-sharing exhibitions; and
- A pre-conference workshop on 12 October 2026 at the South End Museum in Gqeberha.
- Flag Hoisting at Cape Recife High School on the 13 October 2026
The conference will create a space where academic research, institutional heritage work and histories held within families and communities can intersect, ensuring that diverse voices and experiences continue to form part of South Africa’s collective historical record.
Event details:
Event: 23rd National Oral History Conference
Theme: “Voices Across Time and Space: Oral Histories of Resistance, Collaboration and Resilience”
Dates: 12–16 October 2026
Conference Venue: Pine Lodge Resort & Conference Centre, Gqeberha
Pre-Conference Workshop Venue: South End Museum, Gqeberha
Media enquiries:
Zimasa Velaphi
Head of Communications
Cell 072 172 8925
Email: zimasav@dsac.gov.za
Andile Nduna
Communications Manager
Cell: 071 411 4820
Email: Andile.Nduna@ecsrac.gov.za
Calda de Vries
Cell: 074 658 1437
Email: calda.devries@kzndsac.gov.za
