Category: MIL-OSI

National Heritage Council Programmes Manager Amos Mulaudzi has urged South Africans to use indigenous languages in their daily lives to help preserve culture and heritage, highlighting storytelling as a powerful tool in this effort.

While acknowledging technological advances, Mulaudzi said people must return to basics and respect the sacred nature of traditions.

He highlighted the need to transform South Africa’s heritage landscape by reconnecting communities with oral traditions, storytelling and indigenous knowledge, while critically contextualising historical narratives for today’s society.

“It’s a simple thing that people have forgotten: using our languages. We still have to go back to sitting around the fires and listening to stories that educate us about life in general. 

“As much as we have digital technology, it doesn’t mean we can forget who we are as people. We therefore have to adapt our indigenous knowledge systems so that we draw on indigenous knowledge in our innovation and creativity,” Mulaudzi said on Wednesday in Pretoria.

He made the remarks during a dialogue titled: “South Africa’s Heritage as a Key Milestone: Institutions and Society”.

The dialogue formed part of Heritage Month commemorations. Heritage Day is observed annually on 24 September. This year, Heritage Month was commemorated under the theme: “Celebrating Our Living Heritage: Strengthening the Ties That Bind Us”.

Mulaudzi said South Africa’s heritage should be taught in the school curriculum because it is central to the country’s identity. 

“It’s about who we are. It’s good that technology makes it easier for us to reach communities we would not normally reach. But we also have to use technology responsibly. There are things within living traditions that are sacred.

“There are things within our living traditions that are restricted. So, as and when we share this knowledge and information, it is always important to engage elders and seek their consent.

“The beauty of our living heritage lies in its sacredness. Elders should therefore be involved in decisions about heritage management. They are there to be honoured and acknowledged,” he said.  –SAnews.gov.za

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has assured all communities, water users, and stakeholders affected by upstream slope damage at Bloemhof Dam that the matter is being actively managed and remains under continuous oversight by the engineering and technical specialists.

“A contractor is already on site and is undertaking the necessary maintenance preparations under the direct guidance of departmental experts. Whilst monitoring dam safety issues at Bloemhof Dam, dams in the integrated Vaal River System are being operated at elevated dam levels to ensure water security in the system.

“This was done being mindful of a need to manage floods when they present themselves in the system. Bloemhof Dam is currently at 109%,” the department said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to the department’s rehabilitation assessment, repair work at the dam can only begin when a dry working area is created.

The department said it will steadily start releasing water to lower the dam to full supply level (100%).

Communities are assured that the amount of water to be released will not cause flooding downstream.

“To achieve this, a release of 400 m3/s (cubic meters per second) will be commenced until the target level is achieved. This is expected to be within a week or two,” the department said.

Further analyses are currently underway to establish the dam level at which the objectives of dam safety, water security and flood management can be balanced.

However, the department noted that dam safety takes precedence and should a directive be received from the Dam Safety Office to maintain the dam at a specific level, it will be legally binding for the department to operate Bloemhof Dam accordingly.

The department reaffirmed its commitment to transparent communication and engaging stakeholders and provide regular updates as the maintenance programme progresses.

“The public can be assured that every effort is being made to complete the repairs as quickly and safely as possible, while safeguarding the long-term resilience of this strategic water resource,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za

As Heritage Month draws to a close, government has called on South African institutions and communities to work together to safeguard the country’s heritage and ensure that its diverse histories, languages and traditions are recognised.

Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) Deputy Director-General Michael Currin described South Africa’s shared heritage as a living resource that promotes social cohesion, strengthens identity, supports nation-building and drives innovation and inclusive development.

“With the advent of democracy, South Africa set out to build a national identity rooted in dignity, equality and mutual respect. Heritage Day became part of this nation-building project – a public holiday that recognises different cultural identities while affirming that all should exist in harmony and unity as one South Africa,” Currin said in Pretoria on Wednesday.

Speaking at a dialogue titled: “South Africa’s Heritage as a Key Milestone: Institutions and Society”, Currin said the country’s shared heritage and cultural diversity could foster unity, belonging and mutual respect.

“Heritage Day is a reminder that South Africa’s diversity is not a source of division, but a foundation for unity, social cohesion and nation-building. It is a day to honour the histories, languages, traditions and living heritage of all communities while renewing our commitment to an inclusive democratic future,” Currin said.

He added that respectful partnerships between institutions and communities could deepen trust, strengthen social cohesion and foster a shared sense of national belonging.

“Universities, museums, heritage sites, archives and cultural bodies help society preserve knowledge, memory and living heritage for future generations.

“Community media preserves heritage by documenting local histories, amplifying indigenous languages and cultural traditions, and giving communities a platform to pass their knowledge and stories to future generations,” Currin said.

The dialogue provided a platform for critical reflection on heritage, freedom, democratic memory and society’s role in shaping a shared national future.

“South Africa is a nation of diverse cultures, languages, histories and traditions, each contributing to the richness of our national identity. Our heritage is preserved by our people and finds expression in the languages we speak, the stories we tell, our music and dance, the food we prepare, and the clothes and crafts we create.

“Of course, much of what we are becoming as a nation is being shaped by young South Africans as they build and develop new identities, new connections, and new ways of being and creating … all of which, if I may say, I find very exciting and refreshing for our national identity,” Currin said.

Heritage Day is observed annually on 24 September. This year, Heritage Month was commemorated under the theme: “Celebrating Our Living Heritage: Strengthening the Ties That Bind Us”.

Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) Chief Executive Officer Shoeshoe Qhu raised concerns about gaps in media coverage of South Africa’s diverse cultures, particularly on technology-enabled platforms that could help communities share their stories and deepen understanding of their origins.

“I think we make an occasion of our heritage. Once the month comes to an end, we put the blankets and beads away until there is either a wedding or September next year,” she said.

Qhu urged mainstream media to help preserve South Africa’s cultural heritage by telling more stories about its traditions and communities.

“For those working in media and communication, we must intentionally use technology to ensure that knowledge acquired outside academic institutions is given the legitimacy and authority it deserves, rather than being undermined.

“There is a great deal of work to be done. Preserving this knowledge cannot be left solely to community media. Some South African languages have rich traditions, yet little written presence and almost no representation in mainstream media. People have to seek them out. I therefore believe we have a greater responsibility,” she said.

Currin said Heritage Month gave South Africans an opportunity to explore their heritage, deepen their collective identity and build stronger, more cohesive communities.

“Heritage Month provides a unifying platform for individuals and communities to reaffirm their commitment to social cohesion, cultural diversity and the enduring values of Ubuntu.

“Living heritage is a dynamic and community-centred resource that not only reflects our past, but actively contributes to nation-building, intergenerational dialogue and inclusive development.

“By encouraging broad community participation, Heritage Month empowers local voices, strengthens cultural expression and celebrates the rich tapestry of traditions that define South Africa’s diverse identity,” he said. –SAnews.gov.za

Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Steve Letsike has encouraged young people to view setbacks as interruptions rather than defining moments in their lives.

Addressing young people at the launch of 2026 Take 2 initiative, held in Orange Farm on Tuesday, Letsike said young people should not be defined by difficult circumstances, but should have opportunities to change direction, pursue their ambitions, and build better futures.

Letsike encouraged young people to feel empowered to seek healthcare without fear of judgement, ask questions, pursue new opportunities, and change direction.

However, Letsike warned against placing the responsibility for overcoming adversity entirely on young people’s shoulders, while failing to address the structural challenges that limit their opportunities.

“It is too easy for society to tell young people to be resilient while leaving unchanged the conditions that require extraordinary resilience simply to survive,” the Deputy Minister said.

She called for health services that respect young people, education systems that provide continued support, safer communities where girls can move without fear, economic opportunities that are accessible to all, and public institutions capable of meeting young people where they are.

The Deputy Minister said the broader objective of Take 2 should help build a society in which no young person is permanently disadvantaged by one interruption, difficult season, mistake, act of violence committed against them, and lost opportunity, or circumstances into which they were born.

“Let us fight option poverty by expanding the number of futures that young people can realistically choose.”

Letsike emphasised that the success of an equal society should be measured not only by whether young people received an initial opportunity, but also by whether they had a way back when life interrupted their progress.

“The measure of an equal society is not only whether everyone is offered a first opportunity. It is also whether, when life knocks someone off course, everyone still has a road back,” the Deputy Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

The Department of Health has announced a 2.88% increase to the Single Exit Price (SEP) of all registered medicines listed on the national database effective from 1 October 2026.

In a statement, the department said the move is part of government’s efforts to “respond to exceptional domestic and geopolitical pricing pressures affecting the pharmaceutical sector”.

“The 2.88% increase is intended to provide manufacturers with relief to sustain medicine supply, while maintaining affordability for patients and medical schemes. This extraordinary price adjustment applies to all medicines registered and listed in the national database as at 30 September 2026, including all related pack sizes.

“This decision follows sustained engagement between government and the pharmaceutical sector, which identified rising input costs, supply chain pressures, and geopolitical factors as key risks to medicine availability,” the department said.

Furthermore, the adjustment is part of ongoing efforts to “balance affordability with sustainable supply”.

“It is expected to provide temporary relief to manufacturers facing cost pressures arising from, among other factors, geopolitical tensions.

“The Single Exit Price is South Africa’s regulated maximum price for medicines sold in the private sector. It is the only price at which a manufacturer or importer may sell a medicine to any buyer, including pharmacies, dispensing doctors, hospitals. The SEP does not apply to the State.

“The SEP framework is designed to improve the affordability and predictability of medicine costs, while preventing different buyers from paying different prices for the same medicine,” the department noted. – SAnews.gov.za