Hon House Chair and hon members, our material heritage which is tangible, and our immaterial heritage which is intangible are embedded in the earthly and spiritual world respectively. The spiritual and earthly realms are, however, each other's image. This reality is embodied in the maxim "As above, so below".
In other words, if we know ourselves and our environment we can know and respect the origins and nature of the spiritual or intangible reality that informs our spiritual and material existence. This is important because self-knowledge is a key requirement for holistic, - that is, spiritual and material - human development.
The underdevelopment of black people and Africans in particular resulted, first and foremost, from the forcible deprivation of their intangible heritage, land and the natural resources from which they derived sustenance from time immemorial.
Heritage month is a time of renewal or rebirth of our identity and values, and a rededication to what makes us human. It is a time to recover our humanity and its values and principles of equality, freedom and justice for all. September is described as Heritage Month, because it offers us the opportunity to understand our origins, identity and interrelationships between our spiritual and material existence.
It also assists us to understand the critical importance of social cohesion and nation-building, and rural development and agrarian land reform as priorities for the current term of President Jacob Zuma's administration. This strategic priority affords us an opportunity to restore our indigenous knowledge systems for sustainable development. Hon House Chair, it is so noisy that I cannot continue.