The Western Cape Government has expressed concern following the “last-minute” and seemingly chaotic way national Heritage Day celebrations on 24 September have been moved from KwaZulu-Natal to the Western Cape.
The Presidency announced on Monday, 21 September, that President Cyril Ramaphosa would lead Heritage Day celebrations at Rosemoor Stadium in Thembalethu in George. This was after the event was initially planned for KwaZulu-Natal.
The Western Cape Government said it received correspondence from the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, on Saturday, 19 September, that the national event would take place in the Western Cape instead.
MEC of Cultural Affairs and Sport Ricardo Mackenzie says preparations were already underway in KwaZulu-Natal when the sudden shift was communicated.
“This is not how an event of this proportion should be run. A decision like this, taken days before the event and without consultation, is not planning; it is improvisation at the taxpayer’s expense. The people of KwaZulu-Natal were promised Heritage Day. The people of George were given no warning. And the country has been given no explanation. Heritage Day belongs to every South African, and these decisions cannot be made behind closed doors.”
The Western Cape Government is asking what happened to the KZN preparations and expenditure already incurred, and why affected provincial and local governments were not properly consulted before such a significant decision was taken.
Executive Mayor of George Municipality, Alderman Browen Johnson, said:
“George Municipality supports cultural, sporting, heritage and community events within our municipal area. We are proud of George’s rich cultural heritage, and we welcome the opportunity to showcase it to South Africa. However, our support for an event does not remove the need for the appropriate procedures to be followed. Major events require careful planning, consultation and coordination between the different spheres of government, as well as compliance with the applicable legislative, regulatory and municipal requirements. Our concern is therefore not about hosting Heritage Day. Our concern is about the process that brought us here.”
Then on Tuesday, 22 September, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture released a statement that the celebrations will now be held in Oudtshoorn instead.
Minister Gayton McKenzie cited the unwillingness of the Western Cape Government and George Municipality to host the event in Thembalethu.
The Presidency had not issued an official communique that the event will be in Oudtshoorn. The article will be updated once this has been confirmed.
