What is Heritage Day
Celebrated across the country on September 24th, Heritage Day is a national holiday recognising and celebrating the cultural diversity of South Africa. The theme for 2024 was “Celebrating the lives of our heroes and heroines who laid down their lives for our freedom,” with the campaign tag line of “Our History, Our Story, Our Heritage!”.
Our local heroine, the late Rowena Hay, paved the way in the hydrogeological industry for a diverse working force that encompasses all walks of life ensuring a culturally diverse Umvoto.
Formally known nationally as Shaka Day, Heritage Day has fondly become known as National Braai Day where South Africans pull out their best kept family recipes and braai up a storm. This year Umvoto took on the challenge in true South African flair, challenging each other to the best potjies.
Umvoto’s potjie challenge
On Friday October 4th, Umvoto staff tightened their aprons to cook the best chicken, vegetable, fish, and lamb potjie in teams made up of nine staff members. Each team needed to come up with a recipe, buy the ingredients and prepare the potjie. Four tasters were nominated to rate the potjies according to taste, texture, aroma, presentation, and balance. The winning team, Team 1, made a lamb curry potjie coming in at 152 points followed by Team 4 who made the fish curry coming in at 149 points. A great day was had by all and a new Umvoto tradition may have just been started – until next year!
Potjies ranked from winner to looser: (1) lamb, (2) fish, (3) vegetable, and (4) chicken.
