Chairperson, first of all, South Africa must be complimented on recognising and preserving its rich heritage. In KwaZulu-Natal we are proud of the fact that the government is restoring the very rich heritage the province has.
We must also remember that, in the heritage basket, we must not forget the contributions made by the broad cross-cultural society. In this province where Parliament is seated, we must never forget the original inhabitants and the contribution made by the Malays, the Dutch, the French, the Portuguese and the English.
Social cohesion is vital in preserving our rich heritage. I may add that, when we visit other countries, the greatest tourist attractions are the heritage sites.
The erstwhile Minister of Arts and Culture, Dr Jordan, emphasised on the occasion of Heritage Day Celebrations that it was not only a day on which all South Africans were given the opportunity to pause, reflect and look back on all the good things that had been passed on to us by those who came before us, but that it was also a day to celebrate and to relive the heritage that was given to us by our ancestors.
The role of heritage in social cohesion is recognised internationally, and hosting the 2010 Fifa World Cup will indeed create a golden platform and opportunity to market South Africa as a popular and desirable destination.
The MF strongly believes that heritage promotion offers South Africa the opportunity to use culture, cultural expression and the country's rich heritage as a vehicle in improving the lives of millions of South African role-players in the cultural industries.
Mahatma Gandhi once said that the greatest integrity in an individual is his culture.
We come from different ethnic beliefs and diverse religious backgrounds, but we are one nation. Indeed, we are one nation, proudly South African. Thank you. [Applause.]