By Emily Setona
QWAQWA – Heritage month 2025 has underscored the role of cultural sites in driving local empowerment, blending history, economic development, and technology, with initiatives launched across the Free State and North West provinces.
On Tuesday 16 September 2025, ANC MPL Priscilla Williams addressed the North West Provincial Legislature during her heritage month debate speech, emphasizing that heritage sites like the Magaliesberg Biosphere and the Moruleng Cultural Precinct should empower local communities. She highlighted the need for heritage to create opportunities for entrepreneurs, artisans, and tour guides alike.
“True heritage means that a young entrepreneur In Moruleng, a craftswoman in Rustenburg, and a tour guide in Hartbeespoort all share in the dignity and wealth created,” Williams said. She further stressed the importance of integrating museums, archives, and cultural sites as catalysts for social change, economic inclusion, and technological innovation.
In the Free State, the Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre was officially opened on 22 June 2025 at Golden Gate Highlands National Park. Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille officiated the launch, marking a significant milestone in preserving local history while creating tourism routes and community-linked economic opportunities. The initiative includes community hubs, Wi-Fi-enabled archives, and training spaces for youth, aligning with this year’s Heritage Month theme: “Reimagine Our Heritage Institutions for a New Era.”
Williams urged government support for women crafters and cultural cooperatives, while leveraging digital technology to preserve and monetize artefacts and oral histories.
“From memory to momentum, that is how we reimagine for a new era to accelerate service delivery, deepen transformation, and advance our people’s interest,” she concluded.
Heritage month celebrations across South Africa continue to remind citizens that understanding the past and investing in culture are key to shaping inclusive, economically vibrant communities.
