Hon Chair, hon Minister, hon members, ladies and gentlemen, in his Heritage Day speech in 1996 former President Nelson Mandela said:
When our first democratically elected government decided to make Heritage Day one of our national public holidays, we did so because we knew that our rich and varied cultural heritage has a profound power to help build our new nation.
The Constitution of our beloved country states clearly that:
We, the people of South Africa ... Believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity.
South Africans do things in unique ways, which is most evident in the way we strive for winning solutions. Our collaborative spirit in dealing with some of our challenges has led South Africa to participate in many peace initiatives on our African continent.
Our remarkable rebirth and transformation is perhaps the most tangible proof that the manner in which we do things is the key driver of our success as a nation. September is the time to learn more about each other's cultures in order to open our eyes to the rich diversity of the South African people.
The Khoisan term: "!ke e: /xarra //ke", meaning "unity in diversity", serves as a living testimony to the choice we made 16 years ago, which is to find peaceful and productive ways of resolving our differences and this has led to all of us living together as one nation. That choice makes it possible for us to proudly speak of "unity in diversity".
However, we have largely forgotten the contributions and the rich cultures of the Northern Cape's Khoisan and other indigenous people. Chair, let me say this in Afrikaans.
Die Khoisan en inheemse volke was die eerste inwoners van ons land. Daarom is dit kommerwekkend dat in 16 jaar van demokrasie daar feitlik niks aan hul ekonomiese en sosiale omstandighede verander is nie. Hulle word selfs op politieke gebied uitgesluit as ons hulle vergelyk met ander tradisionele leiers vir ander bevolkingsgroepe, wat wel hul regmatige erkenning kry in Suid-Afrika, deurdat hulle glad nie jaarlikse toelaes en ander byvoordele ontvang nie. Erfenis beteken om iets te besit. Wat het die Khoisan en inheemse volke om te bewys dat hulle wel 'n erfdeel van Suid-Afrika besit? (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[The Khoisan and indigenous peoples were the first inhabitants of our country. It is therefore worrying that in 16 years of democracy virtually no changes have been made to their economic and social circumstances. They are even excluded on a political level in comparison with other traditional leaders of other population groups, who do receive their rightful recognition in South Africa, in that they receive no annual grants or other perks at all. Heritage implies the possession of something. What do the Khoisan and indigenous peoples own which demonstrates that they are in possession of a hereditary portion of South Africa?]
As a nation, we must not turn our backs on our Khoisan brothers and sisters. Instead we must always show our gratitude for the respectful and caring way in which they were the custodians of our land before any of us arrived.
We have also not done enough to ensure that all schools teach at least one indigenous language. Heritage month is a time to reflect on our constitutional responsibility to develop South African culture, and part of this is nurturing our indigenous languages and supporting South African literature. We must develop all languages so that they have equal status in our day-to-day lives and not just equal status in our Constitution. I thank you. Ke a leboga. Baie dankie. Siyabonga. [Applause.]