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Celebrating Heritage and Diversity

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CDC Heritage Day
Coega Development Corporation (CDC) Ntombentsha Yaya marketing assistant and Miriam Gxabashe (office assistant) dressed in traditional Xhosa attire, as part of the CDC’s heritage month celebrations this September.

The Coega Development Corporation (CDC) is honouring Heritage Day by hosting a two-day diversity dialogue with staff this week.

This initiative will bring employees together – from senior level executives to interns, to exchange information through dialogue. Staff will share their personal stories and experiences, express perspectives and clarify viewpoints with the aim of developing solutions to organisational concerns.

The dialogue sessions, which take place today (Monday, 22 September) and tomorrow (Tuesday) at the CDC head office in Port Elizabeth, are guided by an overarching theme, “Celebrating Heritage through Diversity”.

Diversity officer Sakhekile Zweni, who initiated the dialogue said his office is committed to ensuring the involvement of staff in the organisation and making sure employees are part of the “great journey that the organisation always aims for”.

“I believe that as much as people have skills and expertise they still need motivation and positive attitude to ensure they can deliver what is expected of them.

“Moreover, as people, we require not only a change of mind but even a change of heart as well to effect positively in how we deliver and do things,” Zweni said.

Throughout the Heritage month CDC staff also dressed up in traditional attire every Friday in celebration of the staff’s diverse heritage backgrounds. The CDC encouraged staff to wear traditional clothing for the remainder of this week.

Dr Ayanda Vilakazi, CDC Head of Marketing and Communications said the organisation must recognise that all employees bring their own unique capabilities, experiences and characteristics to their work environment.

“The CDC must also continue to strive to create and foster a supportive and understanding environment in which each employee can realise maximum potential, despite their differences, or even because of them” Dr Vilakazi said. “Heritage and culture is an integral part of what we bring to the workplace and it needs to be acknowledged and celebrated as we carve a uniquely South African way of doing business that embraces all cultures and approaches.”

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.