Durban’s Khoi and San (Khoisan) leaders met with Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, in Wentworth on Saturday.
McKenzie is in Durban for the Nedbank Cup Final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium and to lead a series of impactful initiatives across KwaZulu-Natal as part of the department’s ongoing commitment to youth development, community wellness, and social transformation through sport, mentorship, and public engagement.
McKenzie also visited the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) for the guided by greatness youth mentorship event hosted in partnership with Sivusisiwe Africa Initiatives.
Andre De Bruin, paramount chief of the Khoisan and Wentworth community activist, said they appreciated the fact that McKenzie acknowledged their presence and made time to meet them.
“The minister promised to work with us and advised us to work together. If we do not organise ourselves, nobody will. We are hopeful that we can have future engagements with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture,” De Bruin said.
The Khoisan leaders presented McKenzie with a skin hide and slippers as a gift.
As a Khoisan child, McKenzie claimed to have observed that people lament they do not receive the same level of support as other traditional leaders in KZN.
“Our kings and chiefs do not get bakkies and money. However, we must move forward. There is too much infighting and people misrepresenting the Khoisan. If we want to be taken seriously we need to learn from the Zulu and Xhosa traditions. The Government of National Unity has shown a willingness to address these issues,” he stated.
McKenzie spoke of the cultural significance and impact that the Khoisan have in Paris, France. He was referring to Saartje Baartman, a Khoisan woman who was taken to Paris in 1810. Her remains were kept in the Musée de l’Homme and in 2002, they were returned to South Africa.
He told the Khoisan leaders that he will take a delegation to France in the near future.
The KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture Mntomuhle Khawula told the cultural group that he is planning to organise a trip to the Maloti-Drakensberg World Heritage Site, in September, to view the San Rock Art that was the work of the Bushman or the San.
“We have met the leaders for the first time and we need to collaborate further and have formal discussions. There is a lot that still needs to be done. When we talk about heritage we are not selective,” Khawula said.
