Amidst the ongoing Gender Based Violence and femicide cases, Limpopo Premier Dr. Phophi Ramathuba says society must let heritage teach young boys and men that strength is not demonstrated through violence, but through responsibility, respect and protection while permitting cultural institutions become spaces where young people learn about equality, dignity and non-violence. <\/p>\n
She was addressing the crowd during the provincial Heritage Day celebrations at Ga-Mphahlele Sham-Rock Sports Ground, Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality, on Thursday 24 September 2026. <\/p>\n
Heritage Day is a South African observance that celebrates the nation\u2019s diverse cultures, languages, and traditions, often called the fabric of the Rainbow Nation which is marked by expressions from traditional attire to shared meals, it reflects on histories and stories that bind communities together. <\/p>\n
In 1995, a national compromise broadened it into a day for all South Africans to honour their shared heritage. <\/p>\n
This year\u2019s Heritage Day was commemorated under the theme: Celebrating our living heritage. Strengthening the Ties That Bind Us.
\nPremier Dr. Ramathuba said while we celebrate our heritage, it is deeply concerning that women and girls continue to lose their lives to gender-based violence and femicide.<\/p>\n
She emphasized that the killing of women in South Africa is not merely a law-enforcement challenge but a profound societal crisis that demands a response from every sector of society.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe heritage we celebrate today must be a heritage that protects life, respects women, safeguards children and strengthens families and communities. As we honor our past, let us use it to shape a safer and more just future. Heritage is also about the values we inherit, preserve and transmit. It (Heritage) is about the principles that define how we treat one another, how we raise our children, how we respect women and girls, and how we build communities founded on dignity, botho and human solidarity.\u201d Premier Ramathuba said
\nDr. Ramathuba also called on society to question themselves about the kind of heritage they intend to pass on if they want their daughters to grow up in fear, if women are not safe in their homes and communities, and if violence becomes normalized.
\nShe reckons that our heritage must become part of the solution. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe wisdom of our African communities has historically placed great value on respect, communal responsibility, protection of the vulnerable and the peaceful resolution of disputes. Our traditional institutions, families, schools, faith communities, artists and cultural organizations all have a role to play in restoring these values and using them to confront the attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate violence against women.\u201d She recommended<\/p>\n
She further called on residents of Limpopo to see Heritage Month as a cause for celebration as it is a month to appreciate the rich, diverse and common cultural heritage that makes them Proudly Limpopians. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Amidst the ongoing Gender Based Violence and femicide cases, Limpopo Premier Dr. Phophi Ramathuba says society must let heritage teach young boys and men that strength is not demonstrated through violence, but through responsibility, respect and protection while permitting cultural institutions become spaces where young people learn about equality, dignity and non-violence. She was addressing the crowd during the provincial Heritage Day celebrations at Ga-Mphahlele Sham-Rock Sports Ground, Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality, on Thursday 24 September 2026. Heritage Day is a South African observance that celebrates the nation\u2019s diverse cultures, languages, and traditions, often called the fabric of the Rainbow Nation\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12],"tags":[],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":4}},"featured_image_urls":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":"","bsk-pdf-dashboard-list-thumbnail":""},"post_excerpt_stackable":"
Amidst the ongoing Gender Based Violence and femicide cases, Limpopo Premier Dr. Phophi Ramathuba says society must let heritage teach young boys and men that strength is not demonstrated through violence, but through responsibility, respect and protection while permitting cultural institutions become spaces where young people learn about equality, dignity and non-violence. She was addressing the crowd during the provincial Heritage Day celebrations at Ga-Mphahlele Sham-Rock Sports Ground, Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality, on Thursday 24 September 2026. Heritage Day is a South African observance that celebrates the nation\u2019s diverse cultures, languages, and traditions, often called the fabric of the Rainbow Nation…<\/p>\n","category_list":"News<\/a>","author_info":{"name":"Maano Nekhavhambe","url":"https:\/\/www.limpopo.gov.za\/?author=7"},"comments_num":"0 comments","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.limpopo.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9578"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.limpopo.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.limpopo.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.limpopo.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.limpopo.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9578"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.limpopo.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9578\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9579,"href":"https:\/\/www.limpopo.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9578\/revisions\/9579"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.limpopo.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9578"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.limpopo.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9578"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.limpopo.gov.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9578"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}