This Heritage Month, the Ndebele Students Association (NSA) continues to bring its vision to life, which is to be a unifying force that empowers Ndebele students to excel academically while serving as a beacon of cultural pride and preservation. This ensures that the rich traditions, history, and language of the Ndebele people thrive across generations. The NSA strives to preserve and promote culture and traditions through educational and cultural programmes, which empowers Ndebele students by providing a supportive community.
PDBY spoke to NSA Chairperson Sharon Gugu Mahlangu, a BCom Honours student in Internal Auditing, who passionately explained what Heritage Month means for the Ndebele Students Association. “For the NSA, Heritage Month is a time to celebrate and preserve the Ndebele language, culture, and traditions while empowering our students to embrace their identity with pride in the large, diverse community within the university. Since its establishment in 2018, the Ndebele Students Association has grown remarkably, with membership steadily increasing and greater recognition from both Ndebele and non-Ndebele students. I believe we have made progress in clearing the misconception that we are trying to speak like the Zulu people by affirming the unique value of isiNdebele language and culture in South Africa,” she said.
Mahlangu further shared the milestones of the association: “This year, we celebrated key milestones including collaborations with the UP Xhosa society and the Tuks Zulu Society within the university to foster cultural exchange and unity with the aim of creating mutual respect among African languages. Beyond the university, we also partnered with the Tshwane University of Technology Ndebele Students Association to strengthen our collective voice and expand the reach of both our programmes to benefit more students. We were also very pleased to see more Ndebele songs and activities being represented within UP Ovuwa. This shows that we are not living in [the] shadows anymore and should take pride in isiNdebele like how other nations do it.”
Mahlangu shared her experience as Chairperson and how it changed her view on culture and tradition. “As a chairperson of the society [and within] the multiple engagements I had with other societies, I came to see that we are one. As Bantu people living with the spirit of Ubuntu, we carry a lot of similarities that are impossible to ignore. This has deepened my appreciation for the richness of our traditions and the responsibility we carry to preserve them. Being a leader of the Ndebele Students Association has shown me that tradition is not static but a living guide that can inspire pride, unity, and progress among students. On a personal level, this position has grown me into a more resilient, empathetic, and visionary leader. It [taught] me how to balance cultural preservation with academic and social empowerment while also learning the value of collaboration and inclusivity. This society hosts annual academic awards at the SABC Headquarters, which makes me strive to be on the stage to receive an award of academic excellence, leading by example.”
Mahlangu elaborated on why these societies are so important. She said, “Cultural societies are important in learning institutions because they create a sense of belonging and community for students from different backgrounds where they will feel valued and understood. They preserve heritage to ensure that it is not lost when students are away from home. Some students grew up in the city and never got to learn about their traditions and language, making [these] societies a point of learning for them. [By] understanding that we are a diverse nation, they create an understanding of diverse cultures because a society is not limited to the people who speak that language only.”
As South Africa celebrates Heritage Month, it is a reminder that it is crucial to keep diverse cultures and traditions alive. Therefore, we must continue to find ways to sustain and support them. The Ndebele Students Association shared how they can be supported by both students and the institution. They concluded, “One of the biggest challenges we face is lack of funding support. We have plans of action drafted, but [we] fail at execution.This can be demotivating to try and host impactful events. A way to support societies is to encourage them to host events, festivals, or cultural showcases that promote their heritage and traditions. Advertisements from a source like PDBY [or] TuksFM when an event is coming up can motivate people to come in numbers so that [our] impact and reach is greater.”
