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Dressing the part
- Details
- 26 September 2012
Transport department and Rea Vaya staff marked Heritage Day by dressing in traditional outfits, weaving a colourful tapestry across Joburg.
JOBURG is often referred to as a melting pot of cultures – and this was reaffirmed on 21 September, when the women of the transport department wore their various cultural costumes to work in observation of Heritage Day.
Lead by the member of the mayoral committee, Rehana Moosajee, they started the day with a colourful photo session in the reception area of the transport building in Sauer Street, in the Joburg CBD. There was a number of cultures among them – Zulu, Swati, Ndebele, Seswana, Sepedi, Indian and others from South Africa and outside its borders.
An orientation session was also held, during which staff learned about the cultural background of the many outfits. The women formed a circle in the reception area, with each woman given a chance to step forward and speak about her outfit. They mentioned background, details and significance of their costumes.
Moosajee wore a traditional Indian outfit. "I am proud to be Indian and so should we all be of our cultures," she said. "We should embrace our cultural differences as South Africa."
The excited group took to the streets of downtown Joburg, gathering other women along the way who were also dressed in traditional clothing. Onlookers whistled and motorist hooted. The group formed a long queue of many colours, parading the streets.
They stopped at Library Gardens and Rissik Street stations, before taking a bus to the Metro Centre at the top of Braamfontein, where they visited the Mayoral Parlour. But the ultimate scene was at Westgate Station in the inner city, where women looked fly in their colourful traditional clothes.
Sewela Mahlatjie, a cashier; Nthabiseng Cebekule, a station ambassador; and Nonhlanla Miya, a marshal, were the centre of attention. Commuters spared a moment on their journeys to take snapshots of them with their cellphones. "I am wearing the Bapedi attire," said Mahlatjie. "I feel like I am at home in Limpopo. We should not wear traditional clothes on Heritage Day only; we should do it at least once a week."
Miya, a Zulu woman, said of her clothes: "This is a pure Zulu dress, I am a proud Zulu."
In the true spirit of heritage, Cebekulu, who is also Zulu, decided to embrace a different culture, and wore Bapedi attire. "I am Zulu, but today, I am supporting the Pedi culture," she said. Explaining her decision, she said South Africa would be a better country we if learned about each other's cultures.
And then, at lunch, the three women took a break from their usual meal of chicken, rice and salad, and instead feasted on pap and morogo. "This is what we eat at home in Limpopo," said Cebekulu.
The same spirit of heritage could be traced across many Rea Vaya stations, including Chancellor House Westbound and Eastbound, Basothong, Orlando Police Station, Ellis Park and Thokoza Park, Soweto. Heritage Day is celebrated nationally each year on 24 September.
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