Programme director
Honourable Premier, Mr Ace Magashule
Members of the Executive Council
Members of the Free State Legislature
Representatives of Houses of Traditional Leaders
Traditional Healers from the Free State
Honoured guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Comrades
It is a privilege and an honour for me to stand before you on this very important day of the celebration of our heritage. This is indeed an important day in the calendar of our country.
Today as we gather in this manner we should observe the significance of our heritage as a nation because without that heritage we are nothing. While this year's theme is "Celebrating South African Crafts – Our Heritage", which we have customised for the Free State to "Bonono – Letlotlo le Rona", we should also note that we are also celebrating our national symbols, including the national flag.
It is for this reason that as we were singing the national anthem we were also hoisting the flag as a symbolic expression of the importance of this national symbol of our country. September 2009 has been declared the month of the flag. In order to give effect to this declaration my department has embarked on a process of distributing flags across the province, to ensure that every public institution has a flag and every household also has a flag.
One of the successes of the FIFA Confederation Cup inn the Free State was in terms of the visible national flags that were seen at matches hosted at Vodacompark stadium. The national pride was quite visible through the national flag at these matches. As part of this Heritage day celebration we have distributing flags for the Setsoto municipality for hoisting in public institutions.
Our focus is also on other national symbols. I am sure most of community members here have in their hands copies of the national symbols as well as copies of the national anthem. Through all these efforts which will be ongoing we will succeed in inculcating the spirit of national unity, social cohesion and nation building.
Programme director, having spoken about this important matter of national symbols and the flag in particular, I would like to take this opportunity to present to you the main speaker of the day, honourable Premier Ace Magashule.
The Premier does not need any introduction. He is well known to all communities of the Free State. He belongs to the people of the Free State and he is constantly and forever in their presence. Honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen, comrades, let us please welcome Premier Ace Magashule.
I thank you
Issued by: Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Free State Provincial Government
24 September 2009
