EXPLORE YOUR HERITAGE THIS PUBLIC HOLIDAY

YOUR favourite newspaper will not be published on Monday – Heritage Day. The next Cape Argus will be published on Tuesday. South Africans across the length and breadth of the country will, in their own way, celebrate Heritage Day.

I want to echo some of things Cape Argus reader Riedewhaan Allie writes in his submission on page 14 today. Allie’s reminiscing about Fourth Beach hiking through the Glen, heading down Kloof Nek Road, and through the Company’s Garden were events that resonated with many Cape Flats residents, including people who witnessed the dreaded Group Areas Act forced removals.

How many of us see the cable car daily, but have never been to the top of Table Mountain?

Years ago, the main speaker at a seminar asked the audience: “If you could go on holiday tomorrow, where would you go first – Europe, America or Australia?”

He received three answers. Silence filled the room when he asked: “How many of you have explored your own country?” It made us think.

Allie writes that heritage is considered as the practices and traditions passed down over generations, and it is also about where and how we were raised. I tend to agree.

We live in a time when the fabric of our society is being shredded by diminishing values and loss of respect, and where our communities get violated on several fronts.

It is also a time when being neighbourly can get you sued, and where the size of your friendship circle depends on your bank balance. But by respecting our heritage, cultures and traditions, we can mitigate the impact of these challenges. Wishing you a happy Heritage Day.

Peace.