PRETORIA, Sept 4 (NNN-SANEWS) — As South Africa celebrates Heritage Month this September, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has urged that museums, archives and heritage sites be repositioned as active drivers of national identity, social change and development.
“Heritage institutions cannot just be museums of dust and silence. They must become places of action, innovation, and opportunity. Young South Africans should walk into a museum or heritage site and see themselves, feel inspired, and leave empowered to shape a better tomorrow,” McKenzie said.
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) officially launched Heritage Month 2025 under the theme: ‘Reimagine our Heritage Institutions for a New Era’.
The theme reflects a shift from heritage institutions being custodians of memory to serving as platforms for innovation, inclusion and community development.
“The initiative recognises that South Africa’s heritage is not only a reflection of the past but a powerful catalyst for building a dynamic, socially responsive, technologically innovative, and economically inclusive future built on the democratic values of human dignity, equality and supremacy of the rule of law,” McKenzie said.
South Africa’s museums, archives and heritage sites have long preserved the nation’s diverse narratives, especially in the post-apartheid era. But, with evolving socio-economic and technological challenges, government sees the need for these institutions to take on a more active role in shaping society.
“We are entering a new era. Our institutions must reflect the dreams of a new generation. Through technology, creativity, and the full participation of our people, we can turn memory into momentum. The courage of our past heroes must ignite the fire of future innovation,” McKenzie added.
This year, the national Heritage Day celebration will be hosted in Oudtshoorn, Western Cape, in partnership with the provincial government.
Heritage Month 2025 will also pay tribute to the heroes and heroines of the liberation struggle. In collaboration with the Association for Ex-Political Prisoners (AEPP) and the Robben Island Museum (RIM), the department will host a Reunion of Ex-Political Prisoners on 27 September at Robben Island. The event will be held under the theme, ‘Reuniting with Robben Island as the Stronghold that Fortified Our Resistance to Achieve Our Freedom’.
“This symbolic and emotional gathering will pay tribute to Robben Island based ex-political prisoners, those brave, courageous and selfless combatants who put their lives on the line for the attainment of South Africa’s freedom and democracy.
“This event not only honours the legacy of resistance but reconnects our national consciousness with the lived experiences of those who endured incarceration in the name of justice and equality,” McKenzie said. — NNN-SANEWS
