McKenzie says SA’s living legends should benefit from their work

Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has called for living legends to receive tangible benefits from their contributions.

Speaking at an event in Upington honouring 92-year-old Ouma Katrina Esau, the world’s last fluent speaker of the critically endangered N!UU language, McKenzie emphasizes the need for communities to retain ownership of their heritage.

Esau has, over the years, strived to preserve the nearly extinct San language through teaching some Upington children the N!UU language.

She is a recipient of the Order of Baobab in silver for her work in preserving the endangered language.

“We cannot simply take from our elders while giving nothing back,” Minister McKenzie states. “Ouma Katrina is the last living N!UU speaker, yet she doesn’t own the rights to her life’s work. She rents her home and has little to show for preserving this priceless knowledge. While we praise her, we must also improve her living conditions.”

The N!UU language, recognised by UNESCO as critically endangered, represents one of South Africa’s most vulnerable cultural treasures.

The Minister’s comments are indicative of growing concerns about the compensation and recognition of indigenous knowledge holders.