ARTS FESTIVAL

AN ARTWORK of Salt River legends Siraj Desai, Anwar Nagia, Dullar Omar and Benny Kies. The Salt River Heritage Society will host a Heritage Day Community Arts Festival on Saturday. This will include the unveiling of murals, historical significance of which will be explained at each site.

THE Salt River Heritage Society will host a Heritage Day Community Arts Festival on Saturday, focusing on social justice.

Salt River Heritage Society chairperson Dr Yusuf Lalkhen said the day’s events will be centred on the unveiling of murals with historical significance. He said there would be an unveiling of three art pieces at three locations.

“We will assemble on the corner of Pope Street and Kingsley Road where we will unveil wall art reflecting the history of key figures related to Salt River that had promoted social justice and the defence of human rights. From there we will walk to the second site that will promote the history and relevance of sport in the area, and particularly the role of women in sport.

“The third site will reflect our commitment as a community to act in solidarity with all oppressed and marginalised communities in the rest of the world,” said Lalkhen.

Keynote speakers include former Western Cape High Court Judge Siraj Desai, former Ajax Youth Development coach and now Dryden Street Primary School principal Stanton Smith, and Palestinian Ambassador to South Africa Hanan Jarrar.

At each mural site, there will be music and entertainment, as well as stalls selling food and other goods.

Mural artists include local talents Natheer Hoosain, Nazeem Jardine, Robyn Pretorius, Nawawie Matthews, Tasneem Chilwan and Nazeer Jappie.

“In addition to its aesthetic value, we want residents to pause and reflect on the messages of social justice, value of sport in a community for youth development, and finally about international solidarity,” said Lalkhen.

Assistant secretary Nadia Agherdine said the event was the first arts and food festival initiated by the Salt River Heritage Society, with the support of the Salt River community. The event will take place from 1.30pm to 6pm.