Local school celebrates Africa Day
Tshabalala Primary School in Katlehong celebrated Africa Day at the school on May 25 with the theme of “Building Africa for a Better World”.
The day started with learners and teachers singing the national anthem followed by the African Union anthem.
A brief introduction about the establishment of the Organisation of the African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU), was given by Bertha Mahlatji, the event organiser and a teacher at the school, who explained the purpose of the day.
“Just like the purpose of the formation of the OAU on May 25, 1963, which was to promote unity and solidarity of African states, defence of their sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence and the eradication of all forms of colonialism from Africa. We want to encourage these young adults to embrace their cultural diversity and promote unity and Ubuntu and that they must not discriminate against each other as Africans.
“We want to teach them our African ways of doing things so that they know where we come from as Africans. That is why we celebrate this day in our schools. It must sink in that even though we have different cultures, the fact that we are all Africans means we are one. We must learn to respect our cultural differences and treat each other with respect and dignity,” said Mahlatji.
She added that leaders like Muammar Gaddafi who are behind the establishment of the OAU in Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa in 1963 need to be given recognition. They are the ones who freed this continent from the colonisers.
There were 32 countries when the OAU was formed which later increased to 53 in 2002 when the OAU was replaced by the AU. South Africa joined the organisation in 1994.
Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma was the second South African to be elected as the chairperson of AU Commission.
After she stepped down Chad’s Moussa Faki Mahamat was elected as the new chairperson of the AU Commission.
The excited learners recited poems, sang traditional songs and performed traditional dances according to their cultures, performed drama and also sang their clan names.
Teachers and learners from the school dressed in their traditional attire according to their culture.
How did the celebration of Africa Day begin?
Since 1963, the Africa Day (formerly African Freedom Day and African Liberation Day) was celebrated from April 15 to May 25.
After the democratic election in South Africa in 1994 and South Africa joining the OAU on May 23, 1994, the celebration of the day was later changed to May 25.
Africa Day is the annual commemoration of the establishment of the OAU (now known as the African Union) on May 26, 1963. It is celebrated in various countries on the African continent, as well as around the world.
The Department of Arts and Culture has labelled May as Africa Month.
