President to attend King Dinuzulu anniversary commemoration

President Cyril Ramaphosa will join His Majesty King Misuzulu kaZwelithini who will be leading the Royal family and amabutho at the 110th anniversary commemoration of King Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo at KwaCeza in Zululand on Saturday. 

According to Presidential Spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, the President will commence the commemoration by paying his respects at the King Dinuzulu Memorial at Ebukhosini, where he will lay a wreath in honour of the late Ingonyama.  

“King Dinuzulu was a symbol of resistance against colonialism as he confronted various onslaughts which included imprisonment from colonial government which disregarded the institutions of traditional authority. 

“He succeeded his father King Cetshwayo as king of the Zulu nation. The commemoration is a stark reminder of the untold sufferings and humiliation in the struggle journey which our forebears confronted that led to the freedom and democracy we enjoy today,” Magwenya said on Friday.

In a collaboration with the Royal Household, academics, historians, and cultural groups, various activities are underway, among them the King Dinuzulu Commemorative Conference, Choral Music festival, research and publication on the role of King Dinuzulu and notable Traditional leaders in influencing South Africa’s trajectory towards democracy.  

“This commemoration serves as a testament to the enduring legacy of King Dinuzulu and the continued importance of acknowledging shared history.

“The commemoration event will take place at KwaCeza, a venue of historical significance where King Dinuzulu launched a decisive attack against colonial forces, emerging victorious in the eastern parts of the town of Nongoma.”

State of Human Rights in SA Conference

Updating the nation on the President’s diary, Magwenya said the first citizen will on Monday, 18 March 2024, address the National Conference on the State of Human Rights Conference marking the 30th anniversary of constitutional democracy and human rights in South Africa.

The conference will be hosted by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development from 18-20 March 2024 at the Birchwood Conference Centre in Boksburg under the theme “Three Decades of Respect for and Promotion of Human Rights”.  

The Conference is premised on the department’s mandate which is the custodian of the Constitution and effective administration of the law. 

The Conference will also assess the institutions that are meant to uphold Constitutional democracy in South Africa.

The outcome of the conference is envisaged to be the baseline for benchmarking government’s implementation of the social contract.

Questions for Oral Reply in the National Assembly

Meanwhile, the President will on Tuesday, 19 March 2024 officially attend to the call by the National Assembly to respond to Questions for Oral Reply. 

The President’s appearance in the National Assembly will complete the Fourth Term Parliamentary Programme cycle.

“This is in accordance with the President’s obligation in terms of the Rules of the National Assembly. The President will reflect on questions ranging from the land reform programme in the agricultural sector, lifestyle audits will be done starting with Members of the Executive and Presidential Employment Stimulus amongst the some of the questions,” Magwenya said.  

Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium South Africa (SIDSSA)

Magwenya also announced that the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure will on Tuesday, 19 March 2024 host the third instalment of the Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium of South Africa. 

The symposium will provide visibility of the infrastructure project pipeline and focus on closing the infrastructure investment gap. 

It will be a platform where the public sector will engage with the private sector. Amongst the issues that will be unveiled is the new pipeline of economic infrastructure project that will receive projects preparations from infrastructure South Africa. 

There will also be the launch of the inaugural 2024/25 construction book. There will be about 22 Ministers that deal with infrastructures in their respective countries across the African continent.

Black Industrialists Summit

President Ramaphosa will on Wednesday, 20 March 2024, deliver the keynote address at the Second Black Industrialists and Exporters conference at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg. 

President Ramaphosa participated in the inaugural conference in 2022. 

“The President will acknowledge the contribution made by Black Industrialists to the South African economy, while reflecting on the progress made in advancing redress and transforming a skewed racialized economy while discussing further initiatives to strengthen economic transformation in support of greater diversity in the ownership of the economy,” Magwenya said.

The intended second Black Industrialist Conference will among others celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act of 2003.

It will further showcase the success of transformation policies including Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) and the Black Industrialist programme. 

More than 600 firms supported by the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition (the DTIC) showed a turnover of about R80 billion during the 2023/24 financial year, illustrating the tangible results of drawing more black entrepreneurs into the industrial economy.

Human Rights Day

The President will address this year Human Rights commemoration which coincides with significant milestones of the 30 year anniversary of freedom and democracy on Thursday, 21 March 2024. 

This year’s official commemoration will take place in Sharpeville, Gauteng under the theme “Three decades of respect for and promotion of Human Rights”. 

This day remains a fundamental landmark in our history and the reminder of those who fought against apartheid and colonialism. The United Nations has also declared March 21 to be the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. 

Inaugural Biodiversity Indaba and Investment Summit

Lastly on 26 March, the President will address the Inaugural Biodiversity Indaba and Investment Summit. 

The gathering will bring together stakeholders ranging from all spheres of government, traditional leaders, traditional health practitioners, communities, people and youth among others. – SAnews.gov.za