It was a sea of colours on the streets as thousands of people from different cultural backgrounds in South Africa came out from their various homes to celebrate Heritage Day and the country’s cultural diversity.


People from different races and cultural backgrounds celebrated as one without any discrimination in different parts of the country.

The Director-General of South Africa’s Arts and Culture Department, Vusi Mkhize talked about the value of the constitution as the country marked Heritage Day on Sunday.

“All of us are now free. We’re celebrating the same constitution. So if you look away, you look away to what, other than looking at the future in which we are all united in a democratic and non-racial South Africa.”


He also emphasised on how important it is to celebrate all men and women who contributed to South Africa’s freedom. Oliver Reginald Tambo, who fought to end apartheid and served as president of the African National Congress from 1967 to 1991 was a comrade who dedicated his life to fighting for his people.



Accordingly, this year’s Heritage Day theme focuses on the revolutionary; “The Year of OR Tambo: Celebrating Our Liberation Heritage”


Also, in his speech at the Heritage Day celebration event in Siyabuswa, Mpumalanga, President Jacob Zuma traced the root of corruption in South Africa to the apartheid era which gave uncontrolled power to the white minority.



According to him, the apartheid was a corrupt and violent system of governance which kept people in subjugation



“Let us unite against corruption and crime in our communities and in our country. These scourges should not divide us at all,” Zuma said while pointing out that his Radical economic transformation is the major tool with which corruption and economic inequality will be wiped out from South Africa.



Minister Nathi Mthethwa tweeted; “Our heritage tells a story of who we are and our ancestral lineage. It builds our identity.”




Meanwhile, South African celebrities celebrated Heritage Day in style with a slew of them posting pictures of them clad in colourful attires on social media.