Khoisan Sport, Arts and Culture Sentrum (KSACS) in South Africa aims to foster a socially cohesive, active, and creative Khoisan nation by transforming, developing, and promoting these sectors. Key initiatives focus on Khoisan nation-building, supporting high-performance athletes, preserving cultural heritage, and leveraging the "Khoisan Nation Security Forces" for economic growth and job creation. The Khoisan Sport, Art & Culture Sentrum, is also associated with the broader national initiatives and heritage sites, focuses on preserving, promoting, and showcasing the indigenous culture, history, and art of the Khoi and San people. It contributes to the recognition of South Africa’s first inhabitants and promotes social cohesion.
Key Focus Areas & Programs
Sport Development: Supports Khoisan Community Schools sports leagues, talent identification, and community-based sports, including events like the National Indigenous Games Festival.
Arts & Culture Promotion: It supports the preservation of Khoisan languages, traditions, and indigenous knowledge systems. Facilitates access to theatre and arts, supports national archives, and encourages cultural participation to build a common identity.
Heritage Preservation: Part of a broader effort, including the National Khoi and San Heritage Route approved by Cabinet in 2020, to highlight significant sites across South Africa.
Oversees museums (e.g. UAKK online Museums) and heritage sites, ensuring the protection of South Africa's diverse history.
Social Cohesion: Uses projects like the Dr Frans Pienaar Sport and Culture Day to bring diverse Khoisan tribes and bloodlines together.
Art and History: The center (or associated sites) provides insight into the history, rock art, and cultural practices of the Khoi and San people, who are considered among the oldest groups of humans.
Significance: It serves to redress the historical marginalization of indigenous heritage, offering a space for cultural remembrance and educational purposes. As well the South African Cape Corps (SACC) is remembered for its valiant combat roles in World War I—notably at Square Hill (1918), Rufiji, and Lindi—and during World War II, overcoming discrimination to prove their combat capacity. Key commemorations include the Square Hill Memorial in Kimberley and recent memorials honoring their "forgotten" contributions and sacrifices.
The Cape Corps, often comprising members of mixed heritage, played a crucial, frequently overlooked role in South African military history, with their legacy serving as a bridge to understanding the nation's complex past and the fight against systemic discrimination
Sport: Khoisan Athletic Club & Khoisan Community Sport activities
Libraries: National Khoisan Library of South Africa (NKLSA).
Economic & Social Impact
Khoisan Sport Art & Culture Sentrum: Aims to create jobs and boost the economic contribution of the creative and sports industries.
Transformation: Actively works to transform the sector, providing equipment and infrastructure to Khoisan communities.
Internships: Offers a 12-month Graduate Internship Programme to provide work experience and combat unemployment among youth by 12 Alliance Partner Organizations.
Performing Arts: UAKK Performing Arts Centre.