Government launches 2025 Heritage Month to Reimagine Heritage as a Catalyst for an Inclusive, Innovative Future and to Celebrate Liberation History
As South Africa marks Heritage Month this September, government through the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), officially launches the 2025 Heritage Month under the theme, “Reimagine Our Heritage Institutions for a New Era.”
This year’s theme reflects a strategic shift, from heritage institutions serving as mere custodians of memory, to becoming engines of innovation, inclusion, and community development. The initiative recognises that South Africa’s heritage is not only a reflection of the past but a powerful catalyst for building a dynamic, socially responsive, technologically innovative, and economically inclusive future built on the democratic values of human dignity, equality and supremacy of the rule of law.
Historically, South Africa’s museums, archives, and heritage sites have preserved the diverse narratives of our people, especially in the post-apartheid era. However, as society faces evolving socio-economic, and technological challenges, there is a growing need to reposition these institutions as active contributors to national identity, social change and development.
“Heritage institutions cannot just be museums of dust and silence. They must become places of action, innovation, and opportunity. Young South Africans, should walk into a museum or heritage site and see themselves, feel inspired, and leave empowered to shape a better tomorrow,” said Minister McKenzie.
He added, “We are entering a new era. Our institutions must reflect the dreams of a new generation. Through technology, creativity, and the full participation of our people, we can turn memory into momentum. The courage of our past heroes must ignite the fire of future innovation.”
This year, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture in collaboration with the Western Cape Provincial Government will host the 2025 national Heritage Day celebration in Oudtshoorn, in the Western Cape Province.
The 2025 Heritage Month also takes a powerful step back to honour the heroes and heroines of our liberation struggle. In partnership with the Association for Ex-Political Prisoners (AEPP) and the Robben Island Museum (RIM), the department will host a Reunion of Ex-Political Prisoners on the 27th of September at the Robben Island Museum, under the theme, “Reuniting with Robben Island as the Stronghold that Fortified Our Resistance to Achieve Our Freedom”. This symbolic and emotional gathering will pay tribute to Robben Island based ex-political prisoners, those brave, courageous and selfless combatants who put their lives on the line for the attainment of South Africa’s freedom and democracy. This event not only honours the legacy of resistance but reconnects our national consciousness with the lived experiences of those who endured incarceration in the name of justice and equality.
For media enquiries:
Ms Stacey-Lee Khojane
Spokesperson: Office of the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture
E-mail: StaceyK@dsac.gov.za
Cell: +27 77 608 7579
Ms Phatheka Ntanta
Deputy Director - Communication and Marketing: Department of Sport, Arts and Culture
E-mail: phathekan@dsac.gov.za
Cell: +27 79 523 9751
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