Ramaphosa calls on South Africans to protect the values that bind the country together

Heritage Day may be a time for proudly showing off South Africa’s cultures, languages, food and traditions, but President Cyril Ramaphosa says the country’s heritage goes much deeper than what people celebrate on 24 September.

In his latest weekly newsletter, Ramaphosa called on South Africans to protect the constitutional values of non-racialism, non-sexism, equality, democracy and human dignity.

His message comes after the country marked Heritage Day last week under the theme ‘Celebrating Our Living Heritage: Strengthening the Ties That Bind Us’. The theme focused on the role of heritage in building social cohesion, Ubuntu and a shared sense of belonging.

For Ramaphosa, those values are part of the country’s heritage too.

Heritage is about more than culture

South Africans are used to Heritage Day being marked through traditional clothing, music, food, language and community celebrations.

But Ramaphosa said the country also has a responsibility to defend the principles that emerged from its democratic transition.

He pointed to the decision made in 1994 to build one country from people with different racial, cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

According to the President, South Africa’s Constitution gives expression to values that should unite people despite their differences.

That makes Heritage Day, in his view, about both remembering where South Africa comes from and considering the kind of country people are building today.

Violence against women remains a national concern

One of the strongest parts of Ramaphosa’s message focused on violence against women.

He said South Africa cannot claim to uphold freedom, equality and human dignity while women continue to live with the threat of abuse, rape and murder.

The President also argued that the public humiliation of women should not be dismissed as harmless, saying language and behaviour can reinforce attitudes linked to discrimination and violence.

His comments come as gender-based violence remains a major concern in South African communities.

During the 2026 Heritage Day address in Oudtshoorn, Ramaphosa similarly said violence against women should not become part of the inheritance passed to future generations.

A warning against xenophobia and inflammatory speech

Ramaphosa also addressed tensions around migration and foreign nationals.

He said South Africa remains committed to African unity and integration, while stressing that migration must take place within the law and that government has a responsibility to manage the country’s borders.

At the same time, he warned against inflammatory statements targeting foreign nationals, particularly at a time when undocumented migration is contributing to social tensions.

His broader message was that freedom of expression comes with responsibility.

He also criticised language that glorifies violence or encourages hostility in a country already dealing with high levels of violent crime.

Racism and the legacy of apartheid

The President said South Africa should not return to the racial divisions of its past.

He argued that the democratic project was built around bringing people of different races and backgrounds together, while addressing injustices created under apartheid.

Ramaphosa also drew a distinction between constitutional measures aimed at addressing historical exclusion and the laws used during apartheid to enforce racial discrimination and inequality.

He warned that attempts to reopen racial divisions could weaken the country’s social fabric.

The President also condemned the promotion of what he described as the false claim of a “white genocide”, linking such claims to concerns about South Africa’s international image, investment and economic growth.

The Constitution as part of South Africa’s heritage

For many South Africans, Heritage Day is about celebrating the things that make their communities unique.

Ramaphosa’s message added another layer: the idea that the country’s democratic values are also something worth protecting.

South Africa’s 2026 Heritage Day celebrations were explicitly framed around strengthening the ties between communities, with Ubuntu, social cohesion and a shared sense of belonging at the centre of the national theme.

Ramaphosa’s latest message therefore placed the Constitution alongside the country’s languages, traditions and cultures as part of a shared national heritage.

His appeal was ultimately for South Africans to keep working together despite their differences, arguing that the choices made through everyday words and actions help shape the country’s future.

“That is our shared heritage. It is also our shared responsibility,” Ramaphosa said.

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Source: SA Gov news