Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa has urged citizens of the Eastern Cape to carry on the legacy of late former president and global icon Nelson Mandela to help fight social ills, especially inequality.
He also urged the rest of the nation not to tolerate racism in honour of struggle heroes like Madiba who gave their life to liberating the country from the shackles of oppression.
“Today we have symbols like Madiba who fought against racism and oppression. If there is anything that South Africans must not tolerate it is racism,” he said.
The minister was addressing hundreds of people at the official reopening of the Nelson Mandela Museum in Mthatha yesterday.
The event, which formed part of the International Mandela Day celebration held annually to celebrate Madiba’s birthday on July 18, attracted many senior national and provincial government leaders including ministers, deputy ministers, MECs and members of parliament.
Several streets were cordoned off to provide easy access to the museum.
The facility was closed to the public five years ago to allow for a major facelift, which saw the government pump more than R63-million into renovations.
Mthethwa said people needed to regularly visit the facility to “drink from the fountain of knowledge”.
“We can grow this nation if we are aware of our history and proud of our future. Madiba’s story is an integral part of our history.”
He described Mandela as a colossus who had made an immense contribution to changing the world for the better. “He made a major contribution to world peace. We are now part of the family of nations because of him.”
But the minister also had a sharp word for residents of OR Tambo, warning them not to burn things down when they became aggrieved by something.
“Let us not hear stories that people were angry and burnt down the museum. If you burn it down you must know that you are burning Madiba himself,” he said.
Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi officially handed over the facility to premier Phumulo Masualle, Mthethwa and the Nelson Mandela Museum council’s chairwoman Nozuko Yokwana.
Nxesi said it was important that the building be maintained, saying they had come up with a plan that would see the department’s regional office in the Eastern Cape working with Coega to help with its maintenance.
Masualle said Mandela would have wanted those present to be inspired to bring about change themselves.
He said if Mandela were still alive, he would probably have arrived doing the famous Madiba dance.
Yokwana said they had reviewed programmes at the museum so that the new exhibition would reflect a new agenda which prioritises educating young people about the life and values of Mandela.
King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality mayor Nonkoliso Ngqongwa said the Bhunga Building, which houses the museum, held a lot of significance for the people of the region.
She said they were excited because the reopening of the museum would usher in a boom especially in the tourism sector which would bode well for the economy of the area. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
Mandela Museum reopens with hopes for increased tourism
He also urged the rest of the nation not to tolerate racism in honour of struggle heroes like Madiba who gave their life to liberating the country from the shackles of oppression.
“Today we have symbols like Madiba who fought against racism and oppression. If there is anything that South Africans must not tolerate it is racism,” he said.
The minister was addressing hundreds of people at the official reopening of the Nelson Mandela Museum in Mthatha yesterday.
The event, which formed part of the International Mandela Day celebration held annually to celebrate Madiba’s birthday on July 18, attracted many senior national and provincial government leaders including ministers, deputy ministers, MECs and members of parliament.
Several streets were cordoned off to provide easy access to the museum.
The facility was closed to the public five years ago to allow for a major facelift, which saw the government pump more than R63-million into renovations.
Mthethwa said people needed to regularly visit the facility to “drink from the fountain of knowledge”.
“We can grow this nation if we are aware of our history and proud of our future. Madiba’s story is an integral part of our history.”
He described Mandela as a colossus who had made an immense contribution to changing the world for the better. “He made a major contribution to world peace. We are now part of the family of nations because of him.”
But the minister also had a sharp word for residents of OR Tambo, warning them not to burn things down when they became aggrieved by something.
“Let us not hear stories that people were angry and burnt down the museum. If you burn it down you must know that you are burning Madiba himself,” he said.
Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi officially handed over the facility to premier Phumulo Masualle, Mthethwa and the Nelson Mandela Museum council’s chairwoman Nozuko Yokwana.
Nxesi said it was important that the building be maintained, saying they had come up with a plan that would see the department’s regional office in the Eastern Cape working with Coega to help with its maintenance.
Masualle said Mandela would have wanted those present to be inspired to bring about change themselves.
He said if Mandela were still alive, he would probably have arrived doing the famous Madiba dance.
Yokwana said they had reviewed programmes at the museum so that the new exhibition would reflect a new agenda which prioritises educating young people about the life and values of Mandela.
King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality mayor Nonkoliso Ngqongwa said the Bhunga Building, which houses the museum, held a lot of significance for the people of the region.
She said they were excited because the reopening of the museum would usher in a boom especially in the tourism sector which would bode well for the economy of the area. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
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