Chairperson, hon members, thank you for the opportunity to debate the important matter of this year's Heritage Month celebrations, during which we celebrate the heroes and heroines of the liberation struggle in South Africa.
In his article entitled The Native Union, published in 1911, Pixley ka Isaka Seme wrote:
There is today among all races and men a general desire for progress, and for co-operation, because co-operation will facilitate and secure that progress.
This iconic African intellectual of our liberation struggle continues -
The greatest success shall come when man shall have learned to co- operate, not only with his own kith and kin but also with all peoples and with all life.
These prophetic words laid the foundation for the formation of the African National Congress, Africa's oldest liberation movement. These words also spoke of a vision of the kind of society we seek to build. This is a national democratic society, a society that is united, nonracial, nonsexist, democratic and prosperous.
The pursuit of the goal of building a national democratic society remains at the core of our struggle to transform our society. This struggle, which has a rich and diverse history, has produced many heroes and heroines to whom this year's Heritage Month celebrations are dedicated.
It is who we are. It is the source of our national pride and it is our historic mission, therefore, to preserve it. In our resolve to preserve our national liberation heritage, we must honour all those who authored this history by taking part in the struggle to free our country.
This we must continue to do because our freedom can never be taken for granted. We must continue to honour those men and women whose love for their country and its people motivated them to sacrifice even their lives for freedom. Those patriots were inspired by the words of Pixley ka Isaka Seme, and I repeat:
The greatest success shall come when man shall have learned to co- operate, not only with his own kith and kin but also with all peoples and with all life.
Hon members, it is for these reasons that this year's Heritage Month is dedicated to reaffirming the significance of our national liberation struggle as part of our country's cultural heritage. Throughout this month we remind ourselves that our liberation came at an enormous cost and that it produced heroes and heroines, worthy of our recognition and honour.
As we celebrate Heritage Month, we draw inspiration from the early resistance movement led by unsung heroes and heroines, such as kings, chiefs and warriors. We remember those brave fighters that took part in the Bambatha Rebellion, the Pondo Revolt and the Frontier Wars of resistance against dispossession.
We are also reminded of those who suffered and fell during the Boer Wars and we reiterate that these unfortunate events also form part of our heritage. We honour those who in 1955 declared boldly that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white. We also honour the heroic women of 1956 who pioneered the struggle for gender equality in our country.
We salute the youth of 1976 and subsequent generations who rendered the apartheid state ungovernable. We pay tribute to the workers who took the struggle for liberation to every factory and shop floor as well as to every farm.
Hon members, our understanding of the heroes and heroines of our national liberation struggle goes beyond those who directly took part in that struggle. It includes the artists and intellectuals who used their creative talent and vision to draw attention to the realities and demands of our national liberation struggle.
We refer here to icons such as Alex la Guma, Mazisi Kunene, Mama Miriam Makeba, Zakes Makae, Winston Mankunku Ngozi and many others. Heroes and heroines of our liberation struggle also include those in the sporting fraternity who ensured that the apartheid state was isolated from the international community. They include those of our sports men and women who, even under the most difficult conditions, excelled in what they did.
Heroes and heroines of our liberation struggle also include members of faith-based organisations and a number of traditional leaders from whom our struggle drew support and moral guidance. The contribution of these sectors reasserts that our liberation struggle was indeed nonracial and nonclassist and that it was fought on many fronts.
As we celebrate our heroes and heroines we must recommit ourselves to the ideals for which they stood and fought for so bravely. Our ultimate goal should be to build a society where, and I quote:
Man shall have learned to co-operate, not only with his own kith and kin but also with all peoples and with all life.
Hon members, as part of celebrating our heroes and heroines, the Department of Arts and Culture has begun a process of identifying sites that are of significance to the national liberation struggle. Many of these sites will form part of the national liberation heritage. [Interjections.]
Thank you very much, House Chair, for giving us this opportunity. And I am sure that we will have a lively debate... [Interjections.]