Bongani Nicholas Ngomane: A vibrant gathering at the Union Buildings celebrated Mandela’s legacy through unity, movement and the spirit of community.

Art in Motion: How Mandela’s Legacy Turned a Sporting Event into a Cultural Celebration on Saturday morning, the Union Buildings stood draped in a sea of white as thousands arrived for the Nelson Mandela Remembrance Walk and Run. What unfolded was far more than a sporting event. It became a moving artwork, a live installation of people, colour, sound and shared purpose, where South Africans used their bodies to honour a legacy and their creativity to celebrate a nation.

From early hours, children in Madiba shirts raced across the lawns, their joy painting the event with innocence and hope. Musicians, dancers and emerging artists warmed the crowd between announcements, turning the grounds into an open-air cultural festival. Vibrant performances, traditional rhythms and the presence of beloved giant puppets gave life to the morning, proving once again that arts and sport are companions in shaping community. Sport invited discipline and endurance while the arts offered reflection and connection.

A dedicated children’s zone kept young ones entertained, while accessibility measures ensured that members of the disability community were visible, respected and included. On stage, a translator stood throughout the programme, reinforcing the idea that remembrance must always reflect every part of who we are as a nation.

Runners moved through the capital with both determination and reflection on their faces. Social media brimmed with gratitude. Participants described the event as healing, necessary and unifying. Others shared that they were walking for family members, mentors or for their own personal renewal. Many described the event as a moment to reconnect with Madiba’s spirit.

What made this year’s Walk and Run especially meaningful was the artistic texture woven throughout the day. The arts were not used as decoration but as the emotional core of the experience. Each musical note, dance step and performance held a fragment of the Mandela story, reminding us of resilience, unity and the belief that ordinary people can move nations forward.

The official programme carried weight and warmth. Government leaders, corporate partners and the Nelson Mandela Foundation addressed the crowd, each reinforcing the importance of active citizenship. Mr Shane Maja of the South African State Theatre encouraged participants to embrace the arts as a tool of healing, memory and national creativity. His message connected the worlds of running and performance, body and story, inviting South Africans to take pride in the cultural heartbeat of the nation.

By midday, families gathered on the lawns for rest and reflection. The grounds, often associated with national governance, transformed into a sanctuary of culture, wellness and shared celebration. The mood was light, grateful and filled with the promise of renewal.

Saturday offered a picture of South Africa at its best. Bodies moved together, voices lifted together and heritage was celebrated with joy. The Mandela Remembrance Walk and Run reminded us that the arts are woven into our everyday lives, into our footsteps, our stories and our collective aspirations.

This was sport.

This was art.

This was South Africa moving forward with purpose.

Bongani Nicholas Ngomane
nicholasngomane87@gmail.com
072 700 6030
Stage Wizard

Disclaimer: Artslink.co.za encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views published do not necessarily represent the views of Artslink.co.za.

I write to honour artists, document our cultural moments and spark conversations that help us understand who we are and who we are becoming.