The Thread That Binds Past, Present, and Future

Heritage is the thread that binds past, present, and future. It is the story of who we are, the roots that ground us, and the compass that guides us forward. To know your heritage is to know yourself, your dignity, your identity and your purpose. Heritage is not a mask we wear on certain days, it is the truth of who we are, and it must be lived with pride. When people know their heritage, they discover their strength and when a nation honours its heritage, it becomes unshakable. And, the true question is: what future does our heritage demand of us?

Apartheid sought to erase heritage by silencing languages, ridiculing cultures, and stripping communities of dignity. Yet, what was meant to divide became a source of defiance, as people carried their identity in songs, stories, and traditions no system could destroy. Today,  celebrating heritage is to reclaim that dignity and declare that our humanity is unbroken.

When I reflect on heritage, I do not see it only as history, but as destiny. It is not about what we once were, but about what we can become. Heritage teaches us that no matter how complex our past, we are united by values that transcend dignity, justice, respect, and compassion. These are the principles that must shape the South Africa of tomorrow, a South Africa that rises not in fragments, but as one human family.

Heritage as Values and Identity

Our heritage is intimate. It shapes how you speak, the music you are drawn to, the way you see the world. It is not only what you inherit, but what you pass on.

Every family carries values that sustain us. If we lose them, we lose ourselves. If we live them, we create societies where every culture breathes, every voice matters, and every person belongs.

In my family, values are central to respect, humility, compassion and courage. These values are not symbolic but rather the compass by which we live. My own journey, from medicine to business, from South Africa to the world’s global platforms, has been guided by Communis Humanitas — a shared future for humanity. That we belong to one human family. 

Heritage as a Mirror

Heritage is also a mirror. It forces us to measure how far we have come, and how far we still have to go.

If you look closely into that mirror you will see resilience. You will see your grandmother telling stories in their language around the fire. You will hear the jazz music that animates Cape Town nights, and taste the foods that blend Malay, African, Indian, and European traditions into something uniquely ours. But if you look again, you will see the cracks. Poverty still silences opportunity. Inequality denies dignity. Racism persists, not always loudly, but insidiously.

South Africans are still not fully accepting of one another. Too often, we tolerate difference, but we do not respect it. Economically, transformation remains incomplete. Wealth remains concentrated in the hands of a few. Until we confront this reality, Heritage Day risks becoming colourful on the surface but hollow at its core.

Beyond Artificial Constructs

We must remember a deeper truth that most of what divides us is artificial. Racism, the colour of one’s skin, religion, language, gender, and wealth.They have been used to separate us, to dominate some while excluding others. But they are not the essence of who we are.The test of our generation is whether we will use it as building blocks for a just society. 

Science itself teaches us this. Every modern human being originated in Africa. Every person alive today carries African DNA. Eighty thousand years ago, our ancestors migrated from this continent across the world, adapting to climate, geography, and circumstance. Skin tones darkened or lightened. Eyes narrowed or widened. Languages and cultures evolved. But beneath all of that, we remain one people. Humanity is African at its root. Humanity is one at its core.

This Heritage Day reminds us that we are bound by a common humanity far greater than the superficial differences that divide us. We should reflect not only on where we come from, but on where we are going. Let us commit to building South Africa, a world where no person’s identity is denied, where dignity is universal, and where humanity itself is our common heritage.

That is the essence of our heritage. And it is the foundation of Communis Humanitas — a shared future for humanity.

* Dr Iqbal Survé is the Chairman of Independent Media and Sekunjalo. 

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.