Put on your traditional wear and head to the Zwelihle Sports Field this weekend for a fun-filled, weekend-long event celebrating women and our proud heritage.
The theme of the event, said Pakama Qwalana Madlamini, one of the event organisers, is “Breaking Bread, Breaking Silence” and aims to raise awareness of domestic and gender-based violence (GBV), empower women and the youth through dialogue, education and cultural engagement and to promote community health, safety and active lifestyles through demonstrations and educational activities.
“The aim is to end Women’s Month with a special celebration,” she said. “As we go into September, which is Heritage Month, we also want to celebrate our African heritage through indigenous food, sports, music and art.”
The event will be held from 11:00 to 15:00 on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 August at the Zwelihle Sports Field in Lusiba Street and entry to the event is free.
The programme is packed with both informative and fun events, including talks and demonstrations by various organisations, performances by local musicians, dancers and poets and stalls selling indigenous food such as tripe, pap and veggies, dombolo (traditional steamed bread), chicken feet, koeksisters and boerewors rolls.
Saturday’s programme includes keynote speeches by GBV ambassadors and community leaders as well as GBV survivors who will share their tales of survival. Various organisations will also be on hand to share information about help available for victims of domestic and gender-based violence.
Those attending the event can also look forward to performances by local artists, poets, dancers and musicians. The event also caters for the younger ones, offering interactive demonstrations by Overstrand firefighters and the Overstrand Law Enforcement Dog Unit.
Sunday’s programme will focus more on sport and fun, with netball, soccer and athletics for young and old. There will also be community engagement and informal networking sessions, cultural exhibits and food stalls. “We aim to create a safe, empowering, and inspiring space for women, youth and the community at large,” Pakama stated. Contact Pakama on 073 735 4553 for more information or to book a stall.
