SHOULD CULTURAL DIVERSITY WORKSHOPS BE IMPLEMENTED FOR ALL?

Simphiwe Dana –Xhosa Singer and Song-writerGuest: Ryland Fisher – Author of Race South Africa, called by some people the 'Rainbow Nation', a title that captures its diversity and 11 official languages. September is since 1994 officially heritage month, when the histories and cultural practices of all its peoples are celebrated and due recognition given to the men and women who have contributed to the heritage and culture of the nation. Freedom of cultural, religious and linguistic expression is enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. South Africa is a country where creative expression flourishes and its cultural diversity are embodied in its arts and culture.Population The Black population of South Africa is separated into four major ethnic groups: namely, the Nguni groups which consist of Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele and Swazi peoples; the Sesotho-Setswana groups, the Shangaan-Tsonga groups, and the Venda groups. The majority of the White population (about 60%) is Afrikaans speaking, and the remaining 40% are English speakers. Three million people, designated as Coloureds, have a mixed lineage, which often consists of indigenous Khoisan people.South Africa’s Asian population is mostly Indian in origin and is largely based in kwaZulu-Natal. Largely, English although many also speak Tamil, Hindi, Telegu, Gujarati or Urdu. Deepavali, the Festival of Lights, is the most important Hindu festival, usually falling around late October and November every year. The Muslim community celebrate Eid as their major religious function. The multi-ethnic cities of Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria and Johannesburg have large number of Germans, Portuguese, Italian and French speaking communities.Language There are eleven official languages in South Africa. These are English (9.6%), Afrikaans (13.5%), Ndebele (2.1%), Sepedi/Northern Sotho (9.1%), Xhosa (16%), Venda (2.4%), Tswana (8%), Southern Sotho (7.6%), Zulu (22.7%), Swazi or SiSwati (2.5%) and Tsonga (4.5%). Much of the country’s regional media use the vernacular when possible. South Africa also recognises other non-official languages such as South African sign language, Khoe Khoe and the San. Many other languages from all over the world are spoken here too, including Portuguese, Greek, Italian, French, and Chinese