South Africans have just celebrated Freedom Day on 27 April and to coincide with that notion, the Social Cohesion Advocates Programme (SCAP) has just released a feel-good song titled Bayete Mzansi.
Powered by the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture (DSAC), the anthem is performed by PJ Powers alongside the Mzansi Youth Choir.
The anthem is a call to the whole nation to come together to take Mzansi to greater heights.
“I do believe we are at the tipping point in the country and South Africans really do need to come together, more now than ever. I just thought to myself ‘Wow, this is so nice!’ and it made me realise that there is common ground among us where we do want to get on with making this country fabulous,” Power said.
The song forms part of a nationwide movement called Up We Go Mzansi, which is being led by volunteer activists who are part of the programme.
“The overall goal of the programme is to mobilise society in its entirety, to work together to build a caring and proud society, based on shared values and a shared vision.”
As a social cohesion activist herself, Powers added that it is important for the country to come together in this way. “This was glorious for me and, in my words, there was such an honest approach to this song. No added agenda and it was just about coming together. I believe it’s sincere and I believe that it is honest and authentic.”
Powers added that this song will appeal to fans who have supported her for many years, all across the board. She also hopes this will motivate people to join the movement.
The Up We Go Mzansi movement has a number of different phases, the release of Bayete Mzansi is phase one. Phase two will commence early in May in the form of a creative youth arts competition. This will aim to encourage participants all over the country to express themselves and use their voices.
The SCAP was established in 2012 by the DSAC. With the team made up of volunteer activists, they were tasked with drawing up a mandate to assist with the promotion of national unity and social cohesion. Drawn from the National Development Plan, there are five pillars of the medium-term strategic framework goals for South Africa that they would like to achieve by 2030:
1. Knowledge of the Constitution and fostering Constitutional values
2. Equalising opportunities, promoting inclusion and redress
3. Promoting social cohesion across society through increased interaction across race and class
4. Promoting active citizenry and broad-based leadership
Listen or download the song here: https://orcd.co/bayetemzans
