Ramaphosa calls for peace ahead of Heritage Day

AS South African will be celebrating Heritage Day later this week to embrace cultural diversity, President Cyril Ramaphosa called on all citizens to work towards maintaining peace and reconciliation.

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In his weekly newsletter published ahead of Heritage Day, Ramaphosa urged South Africans to play a proactive role in nation-building and reconciliation.

President Cyril Ramaphosa appeals to South Africans to unite and work towards peace, reconciliation and nation-building.

Despite numerous attempts made to educate people about the importance of reconciliation, Ramaphosa said there’s still one part of the country’s story that has not been fully told which is the peaceful transition to democracy.

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PRINCE MANGOSUTHU AND NELSON MANDELA WORKED FOR PEACE

“This past weekend, speaking at the funeral service for Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the founder of the Inkatha Freedom Party, I told mourners that the commitment of leaders like Prince Buthelezi and President Nelson Mandela to put aside their differences and work for peace was a legacy we must all strive to uphold and emulate,” Ramaphosa said.

He urged the citizens to prevent tribalism and ethnic chauvinism from sowing discord among residents.

“Even when acts of racism occur, these provocations are rejected by South Africans, who won’t let them be used to exacerbate tensions in communities.

“Contributing to maintaining peace and to advancing reconciliation is our collective responsibility as South Africans. It is the greatest gift we can bestow on the generations to come.

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STRUGGLE FOR PEACE AND RECONCILIATION IS CRUCIAL TO HERITAGE DAY

He said the struggle for peace and reconciliation is a vital part of the heritage of the South Africans.

“Like many South Africans, I am an avid viewer of the television series Shaka iLembe, which premiered locally in June. This spectacular and ambitious epic based on the history of King Shaka and the formation of the Zulu kingdom has become one of the most successful South African productions. It has supported skills development, job creation, and localisation during six years of production.

“Shaka iLembe forms part of a growing movement within the local creative industries to craft stories and histories about South Africa’s people from their perspective and through their eyes,” he said.

He commended the drama series for creating job opportunities, skills development and localisation during six years of production. Ramaphosa’s sentiments on peace and reconciliation come amid a proposal to initiate peace negotiations between the Inkatha Freedom Party and the African National Congress.