The Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM) recently hosted a group of German exchange students representing the non-profit organisation Landesverband Kinder- und Jugenderholungszentrum (KiEZ) in Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany.
The partnership between the CWDM and KiEZ provides for an annual cultural exchange between the youth of South Africa and Germany. In July a group of learners from the Breede Valley became the sixth group to visit Germany, where they participated in various cultural activities and experienced life in rural Germany.
This local visit saw 16 German youth and their two chaperones formed the return leg of this ongoing exchange. On the first day of their seven-day tour of the Cape Winelands, the group visited the Afrikaanse Taalmonument in Paarl. The monument features inscriptions by South African poets NP van Wyk Louw and CJ Langenhoven, which refer to the linguistic connection between Western Europe (Germany) and Africa (South Africa, Cape Winelands). Accompanied by the CWDM’s Deputy Mayor, Margie Sampson, and CWDM Rural and Social Development representatives Thembeka Naku and Myrtle Benjamin, the group learned about the rich history of the Afrikaans language and the contribution that German has made to its development. The monument visit was just one of many insightful and engaging activities during their stay in the district. The visitors were accommodated at the picturesque Steenbok Farm Cottages outside Wolseley, where they enjoyed close encounters with local wildlife before exploring the fun-filled activities and colourful culture that make the Cape Winelands so popular.
Among their many memorable experiences were ziplining in Ceres, shopping at the Franschhoek Market and an evening at Amazink Live in Kayamandi, Stellenbosch, where they delighted in local cuisine, marimba music and dancing. “This long-standing partnership with KiEZ demonstrates that young people are eager to share cultural diversity and experience different environments,” Sampson said. “Here in the Cape Winelands District, we view this exchange programme as an opportunity to help our youth grow into the leaders they are capable of becoming.” She joined the group on several of their excursions.
The exchange programme rotates within the CWD municipal area. The hosting area for the 2027 group will be announced in February.
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