Chairperson, hon members and members of the public in the gallery, we would do well to remember that culture is not a static set of traditions and practices. Culture happens around us at this very moment. The lifestyles and habits of today will become the culture of tomorrow.
In this sense we can take great pride in how we have celebrated our heritage and come close to each other as a nation in the run-up and eventual hosting of the Fifa Soccer World Cup. South Africans of all walks of life took ownership of the event and together we forged a deeper sense of being united in our diversity.
The sense of togetherness and achievement in the wake of the event should inspire us to continue reaching for greatness on the world stage. July 2010 represents a significant marker on the road to nation-building and will be remembered as an important cultural occasion for many generations to come. The flip side of the same coin is that today we also face the danger of establishing many negative things as part of our culture because this have become common lifestyle choices and habits. Fast food, fast cars and fast money seem to be the sole motivation of many people, including many of the elite.
We need to resist this culture of conspicuous consumption and greed as well as inevitable corruption that is required to sustain it. This selfish lifestyle and predatory behaviour runs contrary to our most valued and commonly shared cultural values as captured by the word ubuntu.
Instead of promoting that central tenet of our heritage, namely that the individual prospers when the community prospers, there are too many people in power who are popularising the theory that the individual should prosper at the expense of the community.
Another disturbing trend that runs contrary to our heritage, but which threatens to become part of our culture, is language intolerance. Two years ago many of us warned that unwarranted and personal attacks on the Head of State will surely set the precedent for similar behaviour in future.
Today we already see this culture in certain quarters. That same reckless intolerance informed the wild abandon with which various factions in the ruling party and its partners have attacked each other and the media. It fuelled unnecessary and violent trends. [Time expired.]