Sesotho version 

The CUT community celebrated the National Heritage Day on 23 September 2022, at the Bloemfontein Campus to promote, embrace and acknowledge cultural diversity, and social cohesion, within the university.

Employees and students shared their cultural practices, music, food, and entertainment, representing different cultural groups and preparing traditional foods for others to taste.

Acting Head of the Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Ms Zola Thamae, delivered a keynote address, and expressed her gratitude to the CUT management for commemorating this annual event. She emphasised the importance of this day as follows: “this is a very important month in our calendar. This month is a reminder that we should not forget where we come from for us to know where we are going. If you don’t know where you come from, you can always consult with your elders or the Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation to be informed about your heritage”.

Prof. Alfred Ngowi, acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal, highlighted that celebrating Heritage plays a huge role in promoting cultural diversity, and social cohesion, within our environments. “As the CUT community, we are proud and privileged to come together and showcase our different cultures, share our traditional staple foods with each other, showcase our colourful regalia and dance to different cultural music. We are indeed proud of knowing who we are and understanding our roots”.

As part of the entertainment, guests, staff, and students had the opportunity to visit different stalls representing different cultures to learn more about them.

Captions

1: Back row, from left:  Mr Wonga Mbijekana, Faculty Officer: Health and Environmental Sciences, Dr Zenzile Khetsha, Senior Lecturer: Agriculture, Ms Boipelo Nakedi, Faculty Administrator: Health and Environmental Sciences, Prof. Hesta Friedrich-Nel, acting Dean: Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Prof. Alfred Ngowi, acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal.
Seated, from left: Cllr LG Hume, CUT member of Council and Mrs Zola Thamae, acting Head of the Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation.

2: Zulu students’ cultural dancers showcased their stomping dance moves wearing their colourful Zulu regalia.