National Heritage Day Celebrations

The official program for the National Heritage Day Celebrations will commence at Bongolethu Sport Stadium under the theme, "Celebrating our living heritage: strengthening the ties that bind us." The event aims to highlight the importance of living heritage in fostering social cohesion and nation-building. Entry to the national celebration is free, with capacity for up to 5,000 attendees. President Ramaphosa is expected to deliver a keynote address, where he emphasized that heritage encompasses knowledge, traditions, and values passed down through generations, rather than being solely a celebration of the past.

The choice of venue for the national celebration was changed multiple times. Initially, it was planned for KwaZulu-Natal to coincide with uMkhosi weLembe, but after discussions with King Misuzulu kaZwelithini and KZN officials, the events were separated. The national celebration was then relocated to the Western Cape, first considered for George, and subsequently moved to Oudtshoorn at short notice. These last-minute venue changes prompted criticism from the Western Cape government regarding the planning process and the level of consultation with affected municipalities.