Harmonious melodies filled the hall of the Gallagher Estate Convention Centre where the gala dinner for the participants of the South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod (SASCE) was held on 29 June 2015. The President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency, Mr Jacob Zuma addressed more than 2 000 learners in the Intermediate and Senior Phase, wishing them the best of luck for the 2015 SASCE National Championships. As usual, all learners taking part in SASCE have already won the provincial SASCE Championships, which is a bridge for all choirs in the various categories to compete at the national level.
Addressing the occasion, Basic Education Minister, Mrs Angie Motshekga, said that the SASCE competition is a pivotal mechanism for uniting learners from different cultures to sing together in harmony. The competition has been utilised to instil discipline in learners while promoting cultural diversity in the country.
President Zuma stated that music plays an important role in South African society and expressed his appreciation for the hard work that teachers put into ensuring that learners have a passion for choral music. The 2015 SASCE coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Freedom Charter, which was adopted at the Congress of the People in Kliptown, on 26 June 1955. The Freedom Charter unambiguously declared that, “The Doors of Learning and Culture shall be opened!” It further unequivocally states that, “education shall be free, compulsory, universal and equal for all children”. President Zuma added that, “the competition resonates very well with these principles as it is open to all South African learners and provides opportunities for them to excel in music.”
The President thanked the DBE for promoting the African Union (AU) Anthem through the competition and added that learners should know the AU anthem by heart. During his address the President also emphasised the importance of teaching History as a subject in schools: “All schools need to embrace History as a compulsory subject because the nation which does not know where it is coming from is lost. The youth needs to know the History of this country and the history of the African continent as a whole,” President Zuma concluded before wishing the participants all of the best for the competition.
Images from the gala dinner: