Two Hundred and Thirty (230) applicants from all provinces benefited from the National Heritage Council of South Africa (NHC) funding of R54 859 436 for the past thirteen years. The projects focus areas vary from research, documentation, education to awareness campaigns on a wide range of themes including cultural, religious, liberation and indigenous heritage. The main aim is to increase the base for knowledge production about the heritage of South Africa.
 
The NHC will hand over much needed funding to heritage projects by communities from all the provinces in the country on 11 September 2018 at Freedom Park from 09h00 to 13h00.
 
“Many projects that are started by community based organisations and heritage activists do not succeed due to funding challenges. Financial institutions and donors are rarely supporting these initiatives that are contributing to the preservation and promotion of African heritage. It is particularly essential for South Africa, with a divisive past, to invest in the rediscovery and promotion of this rich heritage that will lead towards social cohesion and nation building,” says Sonwabile Mancotywa, Chief Executive Officer of the NHC.
 
It is the vision of the NHC to contribute in building a nation that is proud of its African heritage. This vision implores the NHC to devote its efforts towards the decolonization and emancipation of the African voice. These projects therefore enable the communities to own their heritage, preserve and promote it with pride.
 
An independent committee adjudicate the proposals that are submitted annually between September and January to the NHC.
 
Mancotywa says; “As part of transformation of heritage, we are tirelessly working hard to redirect the arts, culture and heritage sector into the mainstream economy and hope to inject more funds in heritage projects in the future. The NHC is currently lobbying for partnerships with donors to grow the resources of funding heritage.”
 
For more information

Contact: Danny Goulkan (Communications Manager), 012 348 1663/ 072 952 2260/ danny@nhc.org.za
 
For interview arrangements please contact Linda Shilakwe, 012 348 1663/ 082 657 7064/ l.shilakwe@nhc.org.za