Chief Mandla will be the guest of honour at the Ubuntu Bash, Heritage Day Bazaar, at the Doha Golf Club on September 21.
Ubuntu is a complex word from the Nguni language with several definitions, all of them difficult to translate into English. At the heart of each definition, though, is the connectedness that exists between people.
The celebration is celebrated on September 24 every year to recognise the cultural wealth of the South African nation.
South Africans mark the day by staging various events to remember the cultural heritage of the many cultures which make up the population of South Africa.
The Ubuntu Bash in Doha will see more than 30 stalls selling South African delicacies such as bunny chows (South African style curry served in half a loaf of bread), boerewors rolls (traditional, unmistakable South African sausage), koeksisters (a very traditional baked dessert) and many more.
Of special interest will be the various Zulu and Xhosa dishes that will be served including a firm favourite made from crushed corn and beans.
The embassy said it is especially proud of the young South Africans who will be participating in the bazaar as they will provide a range of South African sweets and baked goods.
The event will also witness the welcoming of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) assistant secretary general Nasser al-Khater by the South African embassy.
Ubuntu is best known as a humanist philosophy associated with Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The meaning of Ubuntu is correct behaviour, but correct in this sense is defined by a person’s relations with other people.
Ubuntu refers to behaving well towards others or acting in ways that benefit the community. Such acts could be as simple as helping a stranger in need. A person who behaves in these ways has Ubuntu. He or she is a full person.
The literal translation of the word is “I am because you are”. It is this spirit of Ubuntu that allowed South Africans from all cultures to shed the legacy of colonialism and apartheid and unite in the successful modern country we see today.
According to the embassy, more than 6,000 South Africans are living in Qatar, many are employed in the education and health systems of Qatar, as well as in senior managerial positions in a wide variety of sectors. Chief Mandla, who is following in the footsteps of the great Nelson Mandela, is currently a member of the South African Parliament as well as the Pan-African parliament.
Chief Mandla has been very active in promoting the plight of the Palestinian people. While in Doha, he is set to meet several members of the diplomatic community and attend a round table discussion at the Brookings Doha think-tank.
South African ambassador Faizel Moosa is inviting the South African community and all friends of South Africa to the Golf Club for the celebration, being held in partnership with Sasol, Qatar Airways and Grand Hyatt Doha.
