Sihlalo, le yinyanga yamagugu, amasiko nomlando wethu eSewula Afrika. Kuhle-ke, ngithi kilendlu ehloniphekileko nabayeni abakhona namhlanjesi ngithi: Nzunza noManala. Senginilotjhisile-ke njalo. (Translation of isiNdebele paragraph follows.)
[Mr S J MASANGO: Chairperson, this is Heritage Month, in which we celebrate our culture and our history in South Africa. It is good for me to salute this august House and our guests present and say: Nzunza noManala. I have already greeted you by saying so.]
This month we will be celebrating one of the most important public holidays on the South African calendar. On 24 September 2011 South Africa will once again have the opportunity to reconnect and celebrate its history on national Heritage Day. As noted by Archbishop Tutu, Heritage Day is a celebration of our diverse history and culture.
When asked to describe the meaning of heritage, the concept becomes vast in the South African context. Heritage is defined as that which we inherit: the sum total of wildlife and scenic parks, sites of scientific or historic importance, national monuments, historic buildings, works of art, literature and music, oral traditions and museum collections, together with their documentation.
The celebration of our South African heritage must be the celebration of all these factors that contribute to our rainbow nation, and of how all South Africans have worked to build this country and its history. It is a day of celebrating the diversity that can bring us together as a strong nation, not separated and divided by our diversity.
South Africa was blessed by committed and dedicated men and women of integrity, who fought for this democracy that we enjoy today. However, are we living up to the expectations and dreams which the heroes and heroines of this country aspired to achieve? Undoubtedly, no.
President Nelson Mandela, one of the leaders in the struggle for democracy, stated ... ngiyamudzubhula: [I quote him:]
When our first democratically elected government decided to make Heritage Day one of our national days, we did so because we knew that our rich and varied cultural heritage has a profound power to help build our new nation.
We did so knowing that the struggles against the injustice and inequities of the past are part of our national identity; they are part of our culture. We knew that, if indeed our nation has to rise like the proverbial phoenix from the ashes of division and conflict, we had to acknowledge those whose selfless efforts and talents were dedicated to this goal of nonracial democracy.
We have to ask ourselves these questions: Will we be celebrating the dreams and the struggle of these selfless fighters for freedom? Are we truly building a rainbow nation of nonracial democracy? Are we celebrating a nation of opportunity and transparency?
The former Leader of the DA, Tony Leon, stated:
A climate of fear has been allowed to develop where parents are too scared to let their children attend school and of allowing them to play outside.
How do we celebrate what we inherited without security of what we have? How do we pass over the richness and wonders of our individual cultures to our children in situations like these? We all know the culture of ubuntu. Are we who once believed in communities and taking care of our neighbours still upholding this important part of our heritage? The simple answer is no.
South Africa is blessed with minerals and wildlife. The world knows our country to be one of beauty and diverse wildlife. Yet again, I have to ask, can we celebrate these blessings that we, as a country, have received?
Our water system is failing; sewage water is streaming into the rivers and infecting our unique marine life; rhino poachers are ruining our animal of pride; our mining industry has forgotten about the value of rehabilitation; and our ecosystems are on the brink of extinction.
New mines are being opened all over, like tuck shops. Procedures to operate mines lack scrutiny. The health and safety of the citizens no longer matter. What matters most is how much profit one makes in the shortest period.
Can we honestly answer the question with positive conviction? Have we risen from the ashes as Nelson Mandela has predicted for this country? No, we have forgotten our heritage, the pride of our history and the hopes and dreams of those who fought for the rainbow nation. We are now driven by self-enrichment. Caring is solely about oneself, family members and friends. Youngsters are obsessed with positions, tenders and selfprofiting things.
Helen Suzman, former apartheid activist and one of the founders of the Democratic Party, said:
Naye ngiyamudzubhula: [I also quote her:]
I stand for simple justice, equal opportunity and human rights. The indispensable element in a democratic society is well worth fighting for.
Njengoba sengitjhwile ngaphambilini, kobana lesi sikhathi sokuthi sizihlanganise begodu sigidinge ilanga lamagugu, kodwana akusinjalo kithi soke. Lokha urhulumende nakufanele asekele umlando namagugu wethu, akhange kubenjalo ngamaNdebele wakwaNzunza. AmaNdebele wakwaNzunza ngiwo anomlando wakade nonothe khulu hlangana neentjhaba zamaNdebele. Begodu umlando lo wakhiwa barholi bamambala abafana neKosi uNyabela, uMayisha, uMabhoko hlangana nabanye bamakhosi. Umlando oqakatheke khulu namagugu uNzunza azikhakhazisa ngawo lirholo lakoNomtjharhelo elaziwa nge-Rosenekaal. Lapha ngikhuluma ngamaKhosi wamambala lawo alwa nesitjhaba samaBhunu namaNgisi. Kodwana urhulumende orholwa yi-ANC ngaphasi koburholi bakababa uJacob Zuma ubone kufanele bona aphelise ubuKhosi besitjhaba sakwaNzunza, amasiko, umlando namagugu waso. (Translation of isiNdebele paragraph follows.)
[As I have said before, this is the time for us to unite and celebrate our heritage, but that is not so to all of us. When government is supposed to support our heritage, that did not happen with the amaNdebele of Nzunza. The amaNdebele of Nzunza are the ones that have a long and rich history among the Ndebele ethnic groups. This history was made by leaders like King Nyabela, Mayisha and Mabhoko, to mention just a few. The caves of Nomtjherele, known as Rosenekaal, are the heritage and the pride of the Nzunza tribe. Here I am talking about real kings who fought with the Boers and the English settlers. However, the ANC-led government under the leadership of Jacob Zuma has deemed it fit to annihilate the Nzunza kingship, their culture and heritage.]
This history, heritage and culture are important to all of us and it is important that President Zuma respects the history, heritage and culture of other tribes. All these must be left to the traditional leaders and their people as they are far better equipped to deal with such matters.
It is regarded as an allegation when the Public Protector presents her findings on an investigation to the President for actions to be taken, but it is not an allegation when the Nhlapho Commission presented a report to the President on an investigation into a kingship that existed over four centuries ago, and the President is quick to take action.
It is also correct when the President rewrites history by abolishing the kingship and the heritage of amaNdebele wakwaNzunza, which has been there for centuries. But it is bad when others rewrite history.
I am proudly South African, and I still believe in the vision of our leaders, Nelson Mandela and Helen Zille. This Heritage Day will be a day to commemorate. [Interjections.]