Mancotywa calls for heritage levy to protect SA’s assets
National Heritage Council CEO Sonwabile Mancotywa has called on the government to implement a heritage levy, as part of investing in the country’s heritage.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch on the sidelines of the council’s National Golden Heritage Awards in Kimberley at the weekend, he said the awards were aimed at celebrating “champion citizens” during September, which is Heritage Month, for their selfless work in promoting and protecting the country’s heritage. “The country has a tourism levy but we do not have a heritage levy,” Mancotywa said.
“So the Heritage Council now has come up with a study.
“There are two ways that heritage contributes to South Africa, which is social cohesion and economic development.
“So there must be better investment from Treasury towards heritage.”
Mancotywa said heritage sites were important tourism assets. However few South Africans visited them.
“Locals, hardly ever visit our sites; we still have a challenge that we have more foreign nationals coming to our sites than our own people.
“We are also concerned about our education curriculum because there is an over-emphasis on maths and science, and there are still apartheid stereotypes where if you are not studying maths you are seen as lacking intelligence,” he said.
The annual awards, now in their third year, form part of the council’s major heritage and cultural development programme.
During the ceremony, several Kimberly-based institutions and individuals were awarded and national awards were given to those who showed initiative towards heritage education and perseverance.
Among them was the widow of Black Consciousness Movement leader Stephen Bantu Biko, Mama Nontsikelelo Biko, who was honoured for her role in uBuntu projects.
Her grandson, Asive Biko, received the award on her behalf.
On Wednesday, the NHC will descend on the Steve Biko centre in Ginsberg to honour her in person.
The Eastern Cape’s Dr Hleze Kunju, who became the first academic ever to write his PhD thesis in Xhosa, was the runnerup for the Academic Excellence
Award. Hleze is known for translating English books into African languages, including Gcina Mhlophe’s Have you seen Zandile.
Also honoured on the night was Mdantsane-born and bred Bathandwa Kwababa, for her role in heritage education in and around the Mdantsane area.
Speaking to the Dispatch at the venue, Kwababa said she was delighted that her efforts were being recognised at a national level.
Kwababa educates high school pupils on cultural diversity and the country's heritage.