Our President his Excellency Honourable Cyril Ramaphosa indicated in his State of the Nation Address that this is the year we celebrate the centenary of Nelson Mandela, he said we are not merely honouring the past, but in his tribute we must make a commitment to build the future.

Our President further indicated that this year we also celebrate the centenary life of Mama Albertina Nontsikelelo Sisulu, this is a gallant fighter ever produced by our revolution and she clearly defined what it means to be a freedom fighter and diligent servant of the people.

Commemorating the selfless life of these two struggle icons, is a distinct moment that structure the core essence of our intangible heritage and rich history for the current and the future generations to embrace.

Madam Speaker, heritage is a phenomenon that develop and harness identity of oneself. It is through heritage that a society takes pride in knowing and acknowledging deep historical origins of their existence and that of their surroundings. Heritage provides society with ideal unity of purpose within diverse multi-cultural environment, and prohibits any external divisive element looking to invade and infiltrate the harmonious co-existence among people.

Similarly, if you want to subjugate and capture society, you must deprive them understanding of their historical identity and infuse foreign cultural patterns to degrade their humanity, such that they uphold and prefer unfamiliar beliefs. This is how colonial apartheid won the minds and hearts of our people, it refuted African people their sense of pride and philosophy that makes them who they are, a lot of African history was deliberately misinterpreted and re-written in colonial terms ultimately distorting stories of African existence and its resilience deliberately translating them to colonial conquest.     

Madam Speaker, South Africa is one of the African countries that flourish with profound cultural diversity. Our various nationalities and multiple ethnic groups together with its common cultural tribes, portray a brilliant rainbow nation that thrives in humanising unity in its multiplicity. 

This various cultural beliefs, allows us to identify with other groups of different and similar mindsets and backgrounds. This African philosophy afford us a sense of unity and belonging within various groups, and allows a better understanding of generations and cradle of African history.

Madam Speaker, another key feature of heritage is the land, land remain a basic source of livelihood of our African people and the elementary component for development. Land is about dignity, identify and cultural value system, therefore it is a fundamental segment of social prominence within heritage itself. Consequently, the debate pertaining land reform must never be hijacked for reasons that are irrational and mischievous, the issue of land restitution, redistribution and security of tenure, is more so about redressing violent dispossession and economic upliftment, as it is about tangible cultural heritage of our African people.

Regaining and transferring the land to our people can help to develop our economy, alleviate inequalities and build social cohesion amongst others, it is through the land reform programme that we can truly measure the milestone towards achieving our National Democratic Revolution within the context of tangible heritage.

Madam Speaker, our heritage is one point in history we must never compromise because it defines who we are. The Nation that understands itself, is the nation that understands its roots, and the nation at peace with itself, is the nation that does not have identity crisis.

Ubuntu is one element in our intangible heritage that makes us be, and I am because we are.

--I thank You--