Celebrations 2006, Pietermaritzburg
15 March 2006
SALUTING OUR HEROES
Our province was the site of many wars of resistance and the home of revered
leaders of liberation. Despite this incredible heritage for a long time through
the centuries of colonialism and apartheid it was the perpetrators and
beneficiaries of these systems that had their deeds recorded as âcivilisingâ
and âheroicâ.
Where black people do enter the history books it was as âuncivilisedâ,
âungratefulâ and as rebels with no worthwhile cause.
Today with the defeat of apartheid and the consolidation of our democracy we
are able to rescue our history and restore our heritage. In many senses the
stories were never lost. Our people passed them from generation to generation
and the texts of liberation recorded the resistance struggles of the past.
But these stories and writings remain disparate, scattered and limited often
to particular groups and areas. The Group Areas Act and other racist
legislation not only physically divided people it also compartmentalised our
history. Now we have the opportunity to popularise our heritage, elevate it
from footnote to the central narrative and create a living and visual memory of
our heroes in this province so that it can be owned and respected by all our
people.
As we research and tell our stories we find there were incredible acts of
courage and humanity across the racial and ethnic divides. The often lonely and
seemingly fruitless defence mounted for King Dinizulu by, amongst others,
Bishop Colensoâs family and Olive Schriener has already been written into our
history and our hearts.
That great Apostle of peace Mahatma Gandhi wrestled with his ideas of
passive resistance in this very province. In fact it was exactly a 100 years
ago that he first launched the inaugural passive resistance campaign. It is a
historic moment that was to write itself indelibly into history as the
twentieth century unfolded.
We in the province are determined to commemorate the centenary of Gandhiâs
passive resistance campaign. Through this commemoration we will also raise the
profiles of Pixley Seme, John Langalibalele Dube and the winner of the first
Nobel Prize for Peace in our country the late iNkosi Albert Luthuli.
This is 100 years of the Bhambatha uprising against the crushing effects of
the poll tax. This year we celebrate the Bhambatha Centenary Commemoration to
remember, honour and give recognition to those who fought courageously for
liberation in 1906. We locate this programme as part of our broader initiatives
and to give people of this province an opportunity to look at their own
heritage in their communities, from fighting against colonialism and apartheid
to the development of their communities.
The roll-out plan spearheaded by the special programmes section of the
office of the Premier in conjunction with the representatives of all the
parties involved is as follows: 8 April 2006, we will mark the official launch
of the Bhambatha Centenary Commemoration in Mpanza, Greytown. We will be
visiting the memorials of historical significance in partnership with the South
African National Defence Force (SANDF), laying a wreath at the Ambush Rock and
many other places of significance.
The Bhambatha local heritage will also be launched on this day, 23 April
2006, led by the Bhengu family of Richmond and in partnership with the Richmond
Municipality the province of KwaZulu-Natal will be perform a traditional
cleansing ritual to commemorate and honour the Richmond 12 who were brutally
massacred by the colonial regiments.
On 10 June 2006 in partnership with the National Department of Arts and
Culture among others for the province of KwaZulu-Natal will perform a
posthumous reinstatement of iNkosi Bhambatha kaMancinza Zondi in Greytown where
the President Thabo Mbeki will honour the occasion.
The launch of the Bhambatha Musical will also be launched by our famous
stage artist, Mbongeni Ngema on this day at Greytown.
The KwaZulu-Natal Province on 11 June 2006 will be celebrating and
recognising iNkosi Sigananda wakwaShezi in Mome Gorge at iNkandla.
On 11 July 2006 the province of KwaZulu-Natal will be celebrating iNkosi
Meseni kaMusi, iNkosi Mashwili kaMngoye, iNkosi Ndlovu ka Thimuni in Maphumulo
and other key figures who featured in this uprising around the Maphumulo
regions.
The KwaZulu-Natal Province on 16 July 2006 will be celebrating the Youth Day
in Greytown in form of a concert in honour of our fallen young heroes who like
Bhambatha 100 years ago stood against the colonial powers who wanted to break
their spirit. The province will also be honouring the youth who lost their
lives 30 years ago during the Soweto uprising of 1976.
October 2006 KwaZulu-Natal will be hosting other two key events:
* The Youth Afro-Centric Fashion Show in honour of Bhambatha at the BAT Centre
in Durban â bring youth talent from all districts of the province;
* In partnership with the National Department of Arts & Culture, host an
International Bhambatha Colloquium for a week here in Pietermaritzburg.
The Bhambatha events for this year have on their own attracted a great deal
of interest from other sectors of our society. The following are indications of
such wide ranging interest:
* 16 March 2006, the Witness, umAfrika and iLanga in partnership with the
provincial Department of Education will publish a series of 12 supplements
written and compiled by historian Jeff Guy on the Bhambatha.
* End of March Asikhulume debate on Bhambatha on SABC 1.
* Sunday Times Newspapers on 26 April 2006 in partnership with the Bhambatha
Institute will be launching a series of lectures in honour of heroes like
Bhambatha in the Royal Hotel, in Durban.
There will be a position paper, which will be researched and compiled by the
National Department of Arts and Culture, The Presidency and other key
stakeholders. The national Department of Arts and Culture and KwaZulu-Natal
Heritage Council (AMAFA) will be looking at appropriate and representative
monuments which will serve to commemorate all the heroes who fell during the
Bhambatha uprising. This will be done in consultation with the Bhambatha local
heritage forum.
It is only appropriate at this stage to mention that the governmentâs
calendar of events during this year recognises the contribution of all
communities, thus our hosting planned celebrations to mark the 100th
anniversary of Satyagraha, which will take place in September 2006.
We are busy negotiating with a Durban based newspaper to insert a supplement
around the Satygraha Centenary and will work closely with national and
international groups learning more about philosophy of the Mahatma. Delhi Prime
Minister, her Excellency, Sheila Dikshit has also indicated her governmentâs
keenness to come to KwaZulu-Natal during September this year to join in the
Gandhi celebrations during our Heritage Month.
We are ready as province to celebrate our past and revere our heroes and
give them their rightful place in society. We envisage recording all heritage
events, its materials, artefacts and presentations to be archived and
incorporated within the proposed Multimedia Centre at King Senzangakhona
Stadium showcasing the cultural heritage of our province and indeed the whole
of South Africa.
All enquiries:
Thabang Chiloane
Cell: 082 888 8783
Jeff Cele
Cell: 082 884 1872
Issued by: KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
15 March 2006
Source: Office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government (http://www.kwazulunatal.gov.za/)
