Reservoir Hills, Durban — 24 September 2026
The vibrant spirit of culture, heritage and community was on full display in Reservoir Hills, Durban, on 24 September 2026, as Ubuntu Heritage hosted its first-ever heritage celebration at the Tennis Court in Reservoir Hills. Founded by Samantha Matabane, Ubuntu Heritage was created with a vision of bringing people together to celebrate their different cultures, traditions and roots.
The organisation seeks to create a space where communities can proudly embrace who they are while sharing their heritage with others. The inaugural event was hosted by Samantha Matabane, Sicelo and Dlamini Vathiswa, who worked together to make the celebration a memorable experience for the community.
Held under the theme “My Culture, My Pride – Celebrating Our Roots,” the event encouraged members of the community to reconnect with their heritage and take pride in the traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation. The Tennis Court in Reservoir Hills became a gathering place for people who came together in the spirit of Ubuntu — a principle that emphasises humanity, togetherness and the importance of community.
The event created an opportunity for people to interact, celebrate and appreciate the cultural diversity within the community. For founder Samantha Matabane, the event was an important milestone for Ubuntu Heritage. Starting a new community initiative and hosting its first major event came with its own challenges, but the organisers remained committed to bringing their vision to life.
The successful turnout and positive response from the community made the first event a meaningful achievement for the organisers. What began as an idea to create a platform for cultural celebration has now taken its first major step towards becoming an initiative that could bring communities together through future events. Sicelo and Dlamini Vathiswa were also instrumental in supporting the event and working alongside Matabane.
Their involvement demonstrated the importance of teamwork in bringing a community project of this nature together. The organisers believe that events such as Ubuntu Heritage are important because culture is not only about the past. It is also about ensuring that younger generations understand where they come from and appreciate the traditions, languages, stories and values that form part of their identity. The event also served as a reminder that community celebrations can create opportunities for people from different backgrounds to meet, learn from one another and build stronger relationships.
Although this was the first Ubuntu Heritage event, the organisers are already looking towards the future. Following the success of the inaugural celebration, Matabane and her team plan to organise more events that will continue to promote culture, unity and community participation. The organisers hope that Ubuntu Heritage will grow into a recognised platform where people can regularly come together to celebrate their roots and create lasting memories.
For Organisers, the journey is only beginning. The success of the first event has provided encouragement to continue developing the initiative and creating more opportunities for community members to participate in cultural activities. The 24 September celebration therefore marked more than just a single day of festivities. It marked the beginning of a vision — one focused on bringing people together through culture, pride and Ubuntu.
As Ubuntu Heritage looks towards its next chapter, Samantha Matabane, Sicelo and Dlamini Vathiswa hope to build on the foundation created by their first event and continue creating celebrations that remind people of the importance of knowing, embracing and sharing their heritage.
Ubuntu Heritage’s first event may have been the beginning, but the organisers believe it is the beginning of something that can grow far beyond Reservoir Hills.