"A nation that does not respect its culture, is doomed and does not have any direction," said, the mayor of Makhado, Cllr Shonisani Sinyosi.
She was a speaker during the Makhado Early Childhood Development traditional dance competition at the local show grounds a fortnight ago. She criticised parents who are not teaching their children their own vernacular and appealed to the youth to respect elderly people. Africans must be proud of themselves, their culture and traditions, she added.
She stressed that immorality is the enemy of traditional leaders, since people have moved away from good morals, and commended the organisers of the event for the initiative of reviving the local culture through traditional dances.
Sinyosi said the young ones must convert their energy into the fight against crime, the prevention of HIV, teenage pregnancies, ethnicity, tribalism, disrespect for elders "and all other social ills" that continued to divorce them from the realities of life.
She said that scientists considered Africa as the cradle of humans and therefore "no matter if you are white or black, you are human, and your roots go back to Africa," she said.