President Ramaphosa to lead National Heritage Day celebrations in the Western Cape

President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead the 2026 National Heritage Day celebrations on Thursday, 24 September 2026, at Rosemoor Stadium in Thembalethu, George, Western Cape.

The National Heritage Day celebration will be held under the theme “Celebrating Our Living Heritage: Strengthening the Ties That Bind Us”, highlighting the role of living heritage in promoting national unity, social cohesion, Ubuntu and a shared sense of belonging.

National Heritage Day is observed annually on 24 September and provides an opportunity for South Africans to recognise, celebrate and reflect on the country’s diverse cultural heritage.

The theme underscores the importance of living heritage in strengthening social cohesion and nation-building, while recognising communities as custodians of heritage and promoting dialogue, mutual understanding and a shared sense of belonging.

National Heritage Day is the culmination of the month-long Heritage Month activities.

September was declared Heritage Month in 1995, providing an opportunity for South Africans to reflect on the country’s shared history, celebrate its cultural diversity and strengthen a collective sense of belonging grounded in the constitutional values of human dignity, equality, non-racialism, non-sexism and Ubuntu.

As part of the month-long Heritage Month programme, provinces and heritage institutions undertook and continue to embark on activities that promote community participation, education, cultural expression and the transmission of heritage knowledge across generations.

South Africa’s heritage landscape has been shaped by a history of colonial dispossession and apartheid-era exclusion, which marginalised indigenous cultures, knowledge systems and forms of cultural expression.

Since the advent of democracy, the country has progressively reoriented the heritage sector towards inclusivity, redress and cultural democracy.

This approach is reflected in constitutional protections, as well as policy and legislative frameworks that recognise cultural participation, living heritage and Indigenous Knowledge Systems.

This year’s activities included the Living Human Treasures and Heritage Custodians Recognition Programme, which recognises individuals who preserve and transmit Indigenous Knowledge and cultural practices.

Other activities included intergenerational heritage dialogues, school heritage programmes, Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Heritage Symposia, and museum heritage education programmes.

These initiatives provided platforms for communities, heritage practitioners, traditional leaders, cultural workers, artists, Indigenous Knowledge holders, learners and young people to engage with and celebrate South Africa’s diverse heritage.

Members of the media wishing to cover this year’s celebration are requested to apply for accreditation by completing the attached Accreditation Form (Copy of SSA SCREENING TEMPLATE MEDIA.xlsx) in full and sending it to Likhona Qwabe at likhonaq@dsac.gov.za and Kamogelo Ledwaba at kamogelol@gcis.gov.za.

Deadline for submission is extended to Monday, 21 September 2026 at 16h00. Please note that PDF submissions will not be accepted.

Media enquiries:

Department of Sport, Arts and Culture: Zimasa Velaphi, Head of Communication and Marketing - 072 172 8925 / ZimasaV@dsac.gov.za

The Presidency: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President - media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria