Create a New Heritage in Your Community

As we stand on the eve of celebrating another Heritage Day across South Africa, the establishments of new communities present us with the opportunity to create a new South African heritage.

This is particularly true for those who have recently moved into their brand-new homes in Forest Village in Eersteriver, Boystown in Nyanga, Highbury in Kuilsriver, Vlakkeland in Paarl, Hornlee in Knysna, Areas F and H in Bredasdorp, Rooidakke in Grabouw, the Side Saviwa Housing Project in Riemvasmaak, Caledon, the McGregor housing development, Paternoster on the West Coast, or any of our other Human Settlements projects across the Western Cape.

Through our various projects, our aim is to continuously create integrated communities, where regardless of your background, creed, culture, language or sexual orientation, our people are able to live together as one. I call on all our communities to not only focus on one’s own culture and beliefs, but to establish and forge relationships with our immediate neighbours and broader community. This is critical if we’re going to become communities that recognise, appreciate and respect each other’s diversities.

In addition to this we have an opportunity to take ownership of our areas, where respect for one another and ensuring each other’s general well-being becomes our primary focus. We can also ensure that the rule of law is adhered to and make it our business to guarantee each other’s safety. The formation of street and community committees would assist in discussing and potentially resolving issues that may arise in our communities.

These are all methods we can use to keep everyone’s dignity intact, while being proud of where you live, given how the life of every beneficiary and their immediate family have remarkably improved. It is these types of interventions that will assist in creating a new heritage in our communities, and as the Western Cape Government, we are part of it.

We continue to remain committed to accelerating human settlement delivery, while promoting social inclusion through the development of integrated, resilient, safe and sustainable human settlements in an open opportunity society.”