South Africa continues to affirm the government’s commitment to advancing the African agenda and to strengthening ties between South Africa and its neighbours. The country is set to inaugurate its fifth democratically elected President on Saturday, 25 May 2019 at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in the City of Tshwane.
The SA Cultural Observatory joins millions of South Africans and Africans at large in congratulating the Honourable, Mr President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa in his inauguration as the 5th president of the Republic of South Africa. This event takes place on Africa Day, a significant day in the African continent as it was on this day in 1963 when Africans cemented the right to self-determination with the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), a precursor to the African Union (AU). South Africans also celebrate 25 years of freedom and democracy, after earning the right to determine their own destiny as one united nation.
Congratulations Mr President
The SA Cultural Observatory Team
Sporting events are more than moments of competition, national pride, and entertainment. They are economic activities that can stimulate tourism, create employment, support local businesses, and generate revenue across multiple sectors of the economy.
Umntwana womgquba a term traditionally used in the Nguni language that means “born out of wedlock,” but nowadays it is used to emphasise that one is born kwisintu. As lontwana, I look back on my own adventures: sometimes I pat myself on the back, and sometimes I wish I could redo them.
Each September, South Africa turns its attention to the rich cultural tapestry that defines our nation. Heritage Month is a time to honour the traditions, languages, histories, knowledge systems, customs and creative expressions that have been passed from generation to generation, while recognising that our heritage is not confined to the past.
My first encounter with heritage at the Mandela Bay Development Agency was, appropriately, somewhat uncomfortable. It began with cleaning. The Gale Monument, the Horse Memorial and the Queen Victoria statue became my first practical introduction to the business of preserving history.
