THIS YEAR’S Heritage Month commemorations – launched by Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa – will have a strong focus on gender-based violence.
Mthethwa was joined by a panel of artists and activists for the launch at the Ditsong Cultural History Museum in Pretoria. September is Heritage Month in South Africa, and the theme for this year is #CelebratingLivingTreasures.
At the event were conversations on gender-based violence (GBV) as well as the launch of books in honour of three of SA’s living treasures, Ouma Katrina Esau, Gogo ’Madosini’ Latonzi Mpahleni and Dr Esther Mahlangu.
“Through them we are showing that we need to show and preserve our heritage because they come from different genres of heritage. One is a painter (Mahlangu), another a traditional instrumentalist (Mpahleni) and the third a tutor for the endangered N|uu language (Esau).
“These three human treasures are very much in touch with the girl child in society in imparting knowledge because they want that girl child to grow up in a South Africa free of gender-based violence,” Mthethwa said.
As part of the 2020 Heritage month-long programme of activities, Mthethwa unveiled the Golekane (Enough is Enough) Campaign which advocates for men to teach young men what being a real man is.