Programme Director
Members of the Executive Council
Mayors and Speakers from District and Local Municipalities
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Molweni, Dumelang, Goeie Middag, Good Afternoon
I am extremely happy that you have joined us here today from all corners of the Province, where we will be engaging on how we need to deal with the matter of colonial history and other cultural symbols in our province.
As a province we have shown an extreme level of compliance to the laws of the country and our Constitution regarding existing colonial and apartheid statues over the past few years. We have not joined the rest of the country who was gripped in vandalism and defacing of colonial and apartheid statues on numerous occasions.
These destructive behaviors however have revealed how acutely divided we are as South Africans. Despite progress since 1994, our society remains divided. The defacing and vandalism of statues has exposed much deep rooted anger amongst Africans.
It is therefore our wish that every South African, irrespective of race , colour or creed must realize that the key to unity in our country is to embrace the reality that all South Africans have many identities and yet we are all South African..
The motto on our National Coat of Arms , is one from the San Languages ,and it says “!Ke e: /Karra //Ke , meaning “united in our diversity”. We are a diverse nation who is continually striving to be united.
We can therefore not allow our differences around the transformation of our heritage landscape to divide us as a nation. Dealing with this challenge is critical to building social cohesion and national identity. We need to unite around this matter and in so doing have a better vision for South Africa, however this will not be possible if we do not work together.
What we must never forget is that citizen participation has an important role to play in bringing about transformation, all that is what this capacity building workshop is all about as well. As South Africans we need to use all platforms available to us to express our views and concerns. What is important to note is, that we are all here for a common purpose and that is to ensure that we are part of the process to determine the transformation of the heritage sector in the Northern Cape.
Ladies and Gentlemen
As government we would like to stress from the outset that we believe the workshop we will be engaging in, is imperative and that it should spur various organizations and individuals to re-look and revisit their views and opinions on colonial and apartheid statues.
Even though we are in our 29th year of freedom and democracy, we are still a country faced with a troubled past. The monuments and landscapes associated with our deeply painful history will continuously be seen as a stumbling block on our road to a socially cohesive nation. It is thus important that we reach consensus on how we deal with it, and this session is a small step in the right direction with us dealing with it.
The most significant resolutions of the Northern Cape Department of Sport, Arts and Culture is to expedite the process of transformation of the Heritage Landscape and to ensure inclusivity
- Naming and renaming of streets, public buildings, municipal buildings and provincial buildings and to allow local communities to find replacement names after proper and all-inclusive consultations.
- Renaming of the Kimberley and Upington Airports
- Transform the museum sector to include and attract participation of previously disadvantaged individuals
- The Repatriation and reburial of remains of fallen hero’s and citizens whose dignity can be restored through unethical practices such as the Sutherland 9
- The completion of the feasibility study of the Liberation Heritage Route and then the completion thereof.
- Finalization of the appointment of a Provincial Geographical Names (Change – remove) Committee. The nomination for applications closed on the 11 August 2023. The necessary processes have unfolded to appoint a competent ethical PGNC. Furthermore, it should be indicated that as a Province, we are committed to ensure that a fully functional PGNC is appointed within a few days from today.
This Committee will primarily be responsible to, without fail, drive the process of the transformation of our heritage landscape through the Standardization of geographical names, including the naming renaming streets, public buildings, municipal buildings and provincial buildings.
We must realize that name changes are important for us as South Africans to reclaim our heritage and cultural identity, as well as honouring our heroes and heroines who fought the liberation of this country which we are all enjoying today.
As South Africans we must be reminded of the fact that geographical name changes are a form of symbolic compensation for human rights abuse.
In a fractured society changing names can also be considered as a mechanism of transitional justice. As a form of symbolic reparation street names can assist in restoring dignity and public recognition to victims.
It is also strange that as South Africans we are forgetting that, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommended the renaming of geographical features as a form of symbolic reparations to address South Africa’s unjust past
The (Geographical Names Act remove) South African Geographical Names Council Act No 118 of 1998, is not only a law of this country but an essential part of transformation. It is a legislative process intended to redress historical imbalances and thus contribute towards eradicating a history filled with oppression and forge, instead, a national identity to which all South Africans can ascribe to.
Change is painful, at the same time, change is inevitable and if we want to grow, both as individuals and as a nation, we must accept that we need to change.
I thank you.
