The "South African @ Heart" campaign recognises that. The campaign aims to initiate a national conversation among all our citizens about the values we share and how we should live them.

Government has agreed on 12 outcomes to direct work between now and 2014. The 12th outcome is in two parts; firstly, to build an efficient, effective and development oriented public service and secondly; an empowering, inclusive and fair citizenship. It is the mandate and responsibility of the DAC to see to the second part the 12th outcome. The campaign speaks to that responsibility and reaffirms government’s commitment to building social cohesion among South Africans.

Based on four key pillars – diversity, inclusiveness, access and values – social cohesion is about celebrating our diversity in an inclusive manner, working with common values, and making sure that we all have equal access to basic services, education, health care, justice, and housing. It is about ensuring that we as South Africans relate better to one another, be it as friends, neighbours, family, colleagues or even strangers. How do we, as South Africans, relate to our fellow citizens? And how do we respond to the injustice we see around us? We live in a country whose richness is based on the diversity of its people. Social cohesion is not a soft issue. Without an empowered, informed, inclusive citizenry we cannot build a caring nation, a just and fair society. While it is our differences that make us rich, it is our commonalities that make us strong as a nation.

This is why the Department wants to hear your views. Our dark past has left deep divisions among the people of South Africa, and helping to overcome these has been at the core of the work of government.

The campaign will take place across the country. "We will be on the streets, at taxi ranks, at train stations, and in shopping centres. We will be going into communities to host conversations about what makes us South Africans at heart. We want to know what you think," says Minister Paul Mashatile.

The campaign will culminate in a national summit in July 13-15 where a review of what South Africans have said about their values, a review of all the proposed ways from each province of how to build a caring nation and how government can work together with communities will take place.

"This campaign is not just a conversation but also a call to action. This is a very important journey that we as South Africans are embarking on. It’s important that every one of us takes part if we are to protect our democracy," says the Minister.