SA Heritage Day in Qatar: a melting pot of possibility

It was hot. Humid and hot.

Frizzy-hair hot; mascara-running hot; frazzled-baby hot.

Qatar hot!

But still they came.

Close to 1000 South Africans.

Of every shape, age, hue, and mother tongue.

Smiling, talking, laughing, bantering, cheering, singing, dancing.

Together.

And I am moved. Tearful even.

It’s taken five years – and a move to another country – for me to truly appreciate how very special South Africans are.

And that our thriving together is possible.

I have seen and sensed this before – glimpses of our Rainbow nation possibility.

But in September 2026, I felt it – deeply – at the Unite 2 Celebrate Our Heritage event right here in Doha, Qatar.

Never mind the weather

National Heritage Day takes place on 24 September. That’s springtime in South Africa, and Autumn in Qatar.

But Autumn in the desert equates to 39C, coupled with high humidity of 80%. Or, as our phones tell us, it’s 39C but feels like 48C!

In short, it’s “hot as hell” and “yes, we’re going to melt”.

And, indeed, we did.

But was the weather going to stop South Africans from gathering to celebrate?

For the most part, no.

Of the 1300 adults and children who registered their attendance with the volunteer community organisation, @SouthAfricansinDoha, to attend the event, close to 1000 came to Doha Sports Park where Mayfair Hospitality provided food and beverages.

Why did they come?

Because South Africans are resilient and they miss home.

And man, do they love a party.

A chance to party

And this is a party that’s been long overdue.

Apart from the long, hot summer, South Africans living in the Middle East, including Qatar, have been living in a war that is not theirs for the past seven months.

Thankfully, the missile attacks in Qatar have trailed off since July.

But from 28 February when the conflict began, we’ve lived a kind of “treading water” existence. We’ve neither moved forward nor away but have stayed put, hopeful that the war will end.

While life seemingly continues “as usual”, we’re all quietly aware of a shift.

There are fewer cars on the road, fewer events and fewer people. There’s less stock in the shops and there have been widespread job losses.

So, the chance to party comes as a salve and / or a form of escapism for many South Africans.

And even more so, when it comes to celebrating our heritage and all that we miss.

(We also meet to watch rugby in Doha together.)

Celebrating heritage and home

Yes, we miss home. We are grateful for the opportunities here, but we miss home.

South African Ambassador Ghulam Hoosein Asmal recounted the many things we miss about home – family, friends, food, sport and the beauty of our land – in this address.

“And fresh air” one South African was quick to add, as we continued to perspire.

Oh, how we miss the Saffa sense of humour, too.

Because at 8pm, we are still melting – our clothes stick to us, the glasses on our noses continue to steam up while the glasses in our hands continue to empty.

I personally drank seven bottles of water to stay hydrated as the festivities began at 4pm.

It’s still hot and humid!

The warmth

There’s another warmth, too.

It’s the warmth of South Africans.

It’s measured in the easy way South Africans – certainly those in Qatar – engage with one another.

It’s what Saffas do without too much thought – the generous greetings, the usual how-long-where-from introductions, sports talk or banter. It’s just what we do.

I naively assumed other nations did this, too.

But living in Qatar has taught me otherwise.

Friends who live here assure me that South Africans are different.

They say South Africans are warm and friendly – exceptionally so.

We greet and engage others.

South African vibrancy

Our diversity showed up in full dress at Doha Sports Park.

Traditional dress, Springbok tops and T-shirts that shouted our unique selves.

Howzit. Braaimaster. Xhosa. Hectic. Eish. Durban. Joburg. Shame. Haibo.

The vibrancy of our clothing is mirrored in the “give-it-a-go” attitude of South Africans.

I will let the photographs speak for themselves.

We like to win

And we’re competitive.

But this we know. (PS We are, after all, four-time winners of the Rugby World Cup).

It isn’t just rugby we’re talking about either.

Heritage Day in Qatar offered another insight into just how competitive we are are.

I witnessed how adults scampered to win sack races or become the best dancer, while their offspring tested themselves at rugby, relished the water slides and showed their muscle in the tug-of-war contests.  

Oh, and kudos to the parents.

Your children were respectful, and well-mannered. Well, certainly those to whom I handed glow sticks.

All this makes home feel closer.

The togetherness

I hope the photographs shout unity – unity in diversity.

Over the years, we have seen the changes – the move away from our legalised Apartheid past. The desegregation, the lifted restrictions and efforts to redress the failings of South Africa’s past.

We know it has not been easy, but I like to think that there’s been progress without dismissing and downplaying the many failures.

I saw the promise of this progress in the Heritage Day celebrations in Qatar.

There has been transformation. Our people, regardless of our colour, faith or economic standing, now stand together as South Africans. I did not just see it.

I felt it.

I felt it in the way people greeted one another, sat alongside one another and engaged with each other. Comfortably.

I felt it when one woman arrived alone and acknowledged it. And another woman, on hearing her, said she was alone, too. And, off they went together.

I felt it too when I was pulled into photographs; offered drinks; teased about my steamed-up glasses and when we sang the national anthem.

The South Africa of tomorrow

Perhaps, I am looking at South Africans in Qatar through rose-tinted glasses.

Perhaps I am just a sentimental old optimist.

Naïve and silly.

Hopefully, I am not totally deluded.

But even if I am, I am choosing to be hopeful.

I am choosing to believe in South Africa and its people.

Because on 24 September at our Heritage Day event in Qatar, I witnessed South Africans at their resilient, playful, vibrant and competitive best.

They smiled and sweated through the heat to enjoy fun, food and festivities and celebrate each other.

They looked out for each other’s children, bought each other drinks, proudly stood and sang the national anthem and thanked the organisers – all volunteers – for bringing everyone together.

I am holding onto all this.

Because it’s a picture of South Africans at their best.

And a picture of possibility.

PS. Thanks Milena for the additional photographs.