Sport takes its rightful place in South Africa’s culture and heritage

Who can forget the 1995 Rugby World Cup that united South Africans of all races and backgrounds, when Nelson Mandela donned Francois Pienaar’s number 6 Springbok jersey? Or when South Africa was the first African country to host the groundbreaking FIFA Soccer World Cup last year?

Sport has repeatedly proven that it is inseparable from South Africa’s culture; the Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation’s Heritage Day celebrations on 24 September, from 09h00 to 16h00 at the Maropeng Heritage Site, will confirm this.  This year, Heritage Day coincides with International Olympic Day, and in the spirit of sportsmanship, a number of activities have been lined up to incorporate International Olympic Day into Heritage Day.

Since South Africa attained its democracy, Heritage Day has always been pivotal and indicative of our traditions, cultures and diversity. South Africans have repeatedly and consciously taken time out to reflect on where they come from and where they are going. It is a day used to transmit the country’s legacy and inheritance to the future leaders of this nation.

Gauteng Premier, Nomvula Mokonyane, will deliver a keynote address. There is a planned cultural programme that includes poetry and singing of struggle songs, including entertainment by various artists.

The main highlight of the day will be the fun run/ walk, in collaboration with South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), which will take place around Maropeng. More than 1 000 children from local farms, rural schools and athletics clubs from the west Rand will get a chance to run and walk with celebrated athletes such as MEC Lebogang Maile, Khotso Mokoena, Cameron van der Burgh, Sunette Viljoen, Tebogo Masehla and Hezekiel Sepeng.

There will also be an exhibition that will be hosted at Maropeng to honour individuals such as the Vaal’s Molefi Congress Mbata, former unionist Sam Ntuli, the ANC Women’s League’s first president Charlotte Maxeke, and a member of the first democratically elected parliament, Ellen Khuzwayo.

This year’s Heritage Day celebrations will be held in partnership with the West Rand District Municipality and Maropeng. On the day, Maropeng will open its doors free of charge to the public attending the festivities.

Enquiries:
Nomazwe Ntlokwana
Tel: 011 355 2578
Cell: 083 507 8068