On behalf of the Number 43 Foundation, it gives me great pleasure to invite you to be part of this year’s Annual Legacy Event, which will be held 17-18 June 2022, at the traditional venues – kwaMagogo and Royal Villas, Ezulwini. This Event was postponed from 2020 due to COVID-19. It is a hugely and momentous celebratory point in our time that we can still be together after such an unprecedented scourge. The rude interruption by COVID-19 feels like a deeply painful journey back from the brink.

Yet again, we will be having an illustrious list of guests of honour, to bless the occasion.

At this occasion, we will be recognising three icons of our history as it relates to Culture&Freedom. They will be bestowed with the, now much coveted, Magogo Award. The first two icons are critical to our struggle for liberation, none other than Bantu Stephen Biko and Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, who will be bestowed, posthumously. These recognitions will be made even more special with Number 43, by the significance of the timing. If it was not for the unfortunate intervention of COVID-19, Biko would have been recognised in 2020 and Sobukwe in 2021 – where we would have respectively commemorated 43 years since they passed under the brutish apartheid regime. These are historic recognitions.

The third, is Gogo Esther Mahlangu (Dr), a gentle giant of Ndebele cultural preservation through her sacred Ndebele hand art (Umgwalo). This is a skill that has been passed down many generations, which she does with a passion – passing it on to others. She is now the global Grandmother of art and colour. UGogo will be recognised for her role in upholding culture in the post-1994 South Africa.

The celebration and recognition of these icons will mark a unique chapter, in understanding the values that informed the story of the liberation of South Africa, by the world. It would be a great occasion to celebrate with you.

Joining this list of illustrious icons, will be our agitator for this year’s Business Roundtable Breakfast, Delphine Govender, Owner, Chief Investment Officer at Perpetua Investment Managers. Her participation will be truly unique, where she will share with the audience, mostly young, her role in business, as a young, black female professional. Given the context of this year’s theme, she will pay attention towards economic and financial freedom.

In preparing for this event we cannot ignore the context within which it is happening, as the social and political landscape is rapidly changing – both within South Africa and the rest of the continent. It is interesting how these developments have coincided with a theme that was decided close to a year ago.

We found it appropriate to remind ourselves of the power of values and how these carried us in the past and will continue to do so, way into our futures. We will remind ourselves of how our war was fought on many fronts for pertinent freedoms, such as: political freedom; economic freedom; intellectual freedom; cultural freedom; as well as Dignity.

Underpinning these, was culture, in whatever way we defined it, which in turn drives political behaviour, company values, household and societal success.

We continue to define, experience and use culture in various ways. It continues to influence the way we behave in the household, at school, in institutions of higher learning, in religion, in the workplace as well as in politics. It shapes the way in which we relate to each other and between us and other peoples.

This year’s logo is most appropriate. It is the thumb print of uButhongo, the Arch architect of Number 43 … signifying South Africa’s first democratic election and his subtle hand in the struggle for our FREEDOM.

In support of the theme, this year’s dress code is traditional attire with a shade of yellow – Ndebele yellow.

To help celebrate Culture&Freedom, as is tradition we will have a few musical icons who saw us through the liberation years and other continuing with the race today.