While our provincial, district and local governments too often do too little to uplift our communities, there are absolute gems among us who always stand up to be counted.
They start youth groups, choirs, dance groups, community gardens, educational drives, early childhood development centres, soup kitchens and all sorts of support groups.
They volunteer, they work, and they help our most vulnerable and they do so without seeking financial reward or recognition. They are our unsung heroes.
This publication recognises some of these people with its ‘local heroes’ features and awards. But we are aware that there are many others who continue to do great work without recognition.
But, we see you. Your communities see you. And we thank you.
In the words of Arena Holdings Group content officer Bongani Siqoko, “not all heroes wear capes”.
We need these local heroes. We face challenging times. We went through a pandemic and a lockdown that devastated our rural and urban economies. We face climate change which will further challenge our food and water supplies. We face unprecedented crises with untreated sewage polluting our precious fresh water sources and destroying habitats and much needed sources of protein such as fish.
And, in the Eastern Cape we face such extreme and widespread poverty that we have children struggling with severe acute malnutrition. In fact, as pointed out by the Human Rights Commission, too many children still starve to death before reaching the age of six. Women, children and other vulnerable groups also daily face the threat of physical and sexual violence.
If we don’t look after each other, who will do so?
Social development MEC Bukiwe Fanta got it right when she said at the Local Heroes Award evening that by celebrating local leaders, one can cultivate a “culture of active citizenship and collective responsibility”
We cannot and should not always rely on government. It does not have the resources or the capacity to do it all on its own. Unfortunately, all too often, it also lacks the political will to even try.
If we are to thrive as a democracy, we desperately need to develop a sense of collective responsibility.
That is the true spirit of “ubuntu” where the wellbeing of a community, rather than an individual, is at the heart of all action.
We need to follow the example of our local heroes. After all, umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu.
DispatchLIVE
OPINION | Not all heroes wear capes
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Image: ALAN EASON
While our provincial, district and local governments too often do too little to uplift our communities, there are absolute gems among us who always stand up to be counted.
They start youth groups, choirs, dance groups, community gardens, educational drives, early childhood development centres, soup kitchens and all sorts of support groups.
They volunteer, they work, and they help our most vulnerable and they do so without seeking financial reward or recognition. They are our unsung heroes.
This publication recognises some of these people with its ‘local heroes’ features and awards. But we are aware that there are many others who continue to do great work without recognition.
But, we see you. Your communities see you. And we thank you.
In the words of Arena Holdings Group content officer Bongani Siqoko, “not all heroes wear capes”.
We need these local heroes. We face challenging times. We went through a pandemic and a lockdown that devastated our rural and urban economies. We face climate change which will further challenge our food and water supplies. We face unprecedented crises with untreated sewage polluting our precious fresh water sources and destroying habitats and much needed sources of protein such as fish.
And, in the Eastern Cape we face such extreme and widespread poverty that we have children struggling with severe acute malnutrition. In fact, as pointed out by the Human Rights Commission, too many children still starve to death before reaching the age of six. Women, children and other vulnerable groups also daily face the threat of physical and sexual violence.
If we don’t look after each other, who will do so?
Social development MEC Bukiwe Fanta got it right when she said at the Local Heroes Award evening that by celebrating local leaders, one can cultivate a “culture of active citizenship and collective responsibility”
We cannot and should not always rely on government. It does not have the resources or the capacity to do it all on its own. Unfortunately, all too often, it also lacks the political will to even try.
If we are to thrive as a democracy, we desperately need to develop a sense of collective responsibility.
That is the true spirit of “ubuntu” where the wellbeing of a community, rather than an individual, is at the heart of all action.
We need to follow the example of our local heroes. After all, umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu.
DispatchLIVE
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