Sari Stroll highlights South Africa's efforts to stop violence against women

More than 3,000 sari-clad women joined the annual Sari Stroll on the Durban beachfront to highlight South Africa's efforts to stop violence against women.

Now in its tenth edition, the annual event which started as a fun walk to showcase the elegance of the sari has evolved into a major event to highlight social issues as well.

This year there was a particular focus on highlighting national efforts to stop violence against women, which has plagued South Africa to the extent that even President Cyril Ramaphosa has come out in support of campaigns against this.

The idea of the Sari Stroll originated when a keen collector of saris, Natalie Lange, met Kamlesh Gounden of the Arya Samaj in Durban. Coming from different communities, they saw the potential of the event promoting social cohesion among different race groups as well.

The local municipality, which hosts a number of events in September as part of National Heritage Month, quickly latched onto this theme to incorporate the Sari Stroll into its cultural calendar.

"We do this so that things that would usually divide us, we can use to bring us together. The sari, for example, has been an item worn daily, as part of the cultural tapestry of the Indian community, for many years, particularity in Durban," Thembinkosi Ngcobo, head of the municipality's Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture, told local the media.

"We recognise the sari as a heritage garment, similar to how we would recognise Zulu skins, yet it is something we haven't fully explored and celebrated," Ngcobo said, adding the Sari Stroll attracted people from different cultures, who would not usually wear a sari.

"They come to the event dressed in a sari and celebrate together. And this is what we mean by using culture and heritage for social cohesion.