Call for all sectors of society to embrace the social cohesion project

• Published date: 19 May 2022
• Publication title: South African Official News

Government's efforts alone will not be enough to advance the cause for social cohesion and nation building as it requires the collective efforts of society.

This is according to the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture Director for Social Cohesion, Dr Abraham Serote, who has identified the business sector, trade unions, faith-based organisations as well as the media industry, as key sectors that can work with government to advance the cause of social cohesion and nation building.

'The plea from government is for these other sectors to embrace the call. We will be engaging some of them through the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) process to finalise the social compact so that this broader project of ensuring that South Africa becomes a socially integrated and inclusive society materialises,' Serote said on Thursday.

He was taking part in a virtual dialogue for Africa Month 2022 celebrations, hosted by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) in partnership with the Department of Arts and Culture.

The panel discussion took place under the theme: 'Advancing Patriotism, Social Cohesion and Citizen's Rights to Safeguard South Africa and its Institutions'.

The National Strategy on Social Cohesion and Nation Building responds to the ongoing and unfinished national project that began with the transformation of South Africa into a constitutional democracy in 1994 - this being the building of a just society, which upholds and embodies the principles and values of an inclusive, non-racial democracy.

'If social cohesion and nation building is the preoccupation of government alone, therein lies the problem, this goal will remain a pipe dream, it will never be attained. Social cohesion and nation building has to involve all of society...