Talk is cheap, and the message from a number of people attending a recent social cohesion workshop in Grahamstown was that they want to see government offering more practical solutions to South Africa's problems.
Local artists, businessmen, school pupils and social activists came to the workshop held at the Hill Street Public Library last Tuesday.
Talk is cheap, and the message from a number of people attending a recent social cohesion workshop in Grahamstown was that they want to see government offering more practical solutions to South Africa's problems.
Local artists, businessmen, school pupils and social activists came to the workshop held at the Hill Street Public Library last Tuesday.
The event was organised by the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture and facilitated by Heartlines organisation media representative and SABC radio presenter Thabisa Dyala.
Local assistant manager at the department of arts and culture Loyiso Ngxoweni told italGrocott's Mail/ital that the social cohesion exercise was about opening the minds of community members. We invited different people from different areas to come and talk and debate about social issues, he explained.
This was done to reach out to all kinds of people, in the hope that they can work together to build a better South Africa, Ngxoweni said.
People at the workshop made one thing clear: they wanted the government to provide practical ways for people to help make SA a better place.
The core function of this project is to see people voicing out whatever they feel about this country, Dyala said.
According to her, South African people have a lot of unhappiness bottled up inside them, and talking about their problems can be a form of therapy. These workshops have been successful because people are talking and that's what we want from them, Dyala said.
She added that they make sure people from different races, backgrounds and abilities all mixed at the workshops.
The Grahamstown workshop was the second last one to take place across the country, with Queenstown set to be the last stop, she said.
Local artist and language activist Tsepiso Nzayo used the workshop to voice his opinions about the lack of job opportunities in SA. He said the country needs programmes that will effectively inspire the youth.
People are angry and they need jobs, he said. We must stop talking and do things practically.
A Grade 11 pupil from TEM Mrwetyana Secondary School, Aviwe Menze, said she hadn't been aware of what social cohesion actually was, but now that she does know she would like to find out more about how it can help.
But how do we implement this social cohesion in South Africa? she asked. It would be easier if we were united and familiar with each other.
Ngxoweni said the programme is going to be further implemented in all nine provinces, culminating in a national summit. There selected participants will come together to continue discussing their issues in order to bring positive change in SA.
Senior Cacadu arts and culture department manager Vuyiseka Nokenke thanked everyone who attended the workshop. She said that even though the turnout was less than they'd hoped for, the people who came represented all kinds of people in the area.
