The Day of Reconciliation is a public holiday in South Africa held annually on 16 December. The holiday came into effect in 1995 after the end of apartheid, with the intention of fostering reconciliation and national unity for the country. This day was first celebrated as Dingane's Day before being subsequently replaced with the Day of Reconciliation. Recognizing the need for racial harmony, the government chose the date for its significance to both Afrikaner and indigenous South African cultures. The celebration of the Day of Reconciliation can take the form of remembering past history, recognizing veterans' contributions, marching, and other festivities.

The origins of the celebration for Afrikaners goes back to the Day of the Vow, which commemorates the Voortrekker victory over the Zulus at the Battle of Blood River on 16 December 1838. For black and indigenous South Africans, the date marks both peaceful protests against racial injustice and the founding of the Umkhonto we Sizwe paramilitary wing of the African National Congress (ANC) on 16 December 1961. Nelson Mandela and the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission chose a day that was special to both ethno-racial groups in the country in order to work on healing the damage done by apartheid.

Date and observance

The first time the Day of Reconciliation was celebrated as a public holiday was in 1995. On Day of Reconciliation 2013, a statue of Nelson Mandela, the first black president of South Africa, was unveiled at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. During the celebration in 2009, President Jacob Zuma honored forgotten heroes of South Africa, including inscribing around 100 dead veterans' names on the Wall of Names at Freedom Park. In 2008, the first victim of "necklacing", Maki Skosana, was given a tombstone and remembered. For the celebration in 2001, the African National Congress (ANC) remembered the police raid that led to the Rivonia trial. Some of the communities take part in a walk which also serve as a memorial to Mandela.

  • 2014: Social Cohesion, Reconciliation, and National Unity in the 20 Years of Democracy.
  • 2015: Bridging the Divide: Building a common South African nationhood towards a national development state.
  • 2016: Bridging The Divide Towards A Non-Racist Society.
  • 2017: The Year of OR Tambo: Reconciliation through Radical Socio-Economic Transformation.
  • 2018: The Year of Nelson Mandela and Albertina Sisulu: Liberators for Reconciliation.
  • 2019: The Year of Indigenous Languages: Supporting National Reconciliation Through the Promotion, Development and Preservation of Indigenous Languages.
  • 2020: United In Action Against Racism, Gender-based Violence and Other Intolerances.
  • 2021: The year of Charlotte Maxeke: Promoting Reconciliation During the 25th Anniversary of the Constitution
  • 2022: National Unity, Healing, and Renewal

Origin

Afrikaner origins

For Afrikaners, 16 December was commemorated as the Day of the Vow, The Day of the Vow was a religious holiday commemorating the Voortrekker victory over the Zulus at the Battle of Blood River in 1838, and is still celebrated by some Afrikaners. On that day, 470 Voortrekkers were attacked in an early morning battle led by Dingane's generals. and the Day of the Covenant. In 1952, Dingane's Day was changed to Day of the Covenant and in 1980 was changed to The Day of the Vow.

The last year South Africa celebrated Day of the Vow was in 1994. The transition from Day of the Vow to Day of Reconciliation was viewed with mixed emotions for Afrikaners. Nelson Mandela believed that non-violent resistance was not working to stop Apartheid, and advocated for violent insurrection. The date of 16 December is the anniversary of the first bomb bombs carried out by Umkhonto we Sizwe ("Spear of the Nation" or MK), the armed wing of the ANC in 1961.

Day of Reconciliation

125px|thumb|right|[[Desmond Tutu spoke about the purpose of the holiday in 1995.]]

When Apartheid ended, it was decided to keep 16 December as a public holiday, but to infuse it "with the purpose of fostering reconciliation and national unity." Nelson Mandela was part of the group of politicians that helped start the idea for the holiday. On 16 December 1995, the first celebration took place. In an address in 1995, Archbishop Desmond Tutu described the holiday as serving the need of healing the wounds of Apartheid.

The holiday is also used to celebrate minority cultural groups in South Africa, such as the San people. South African President, Jacob Zuma, in 2009, also stressed that the holiday was meant to also promote "non-sexism".

Other significance

It is the first of four public holidays observed at the height of the Southern Hemisphere summer, along with Christmas Day, Day of Goodwill and New Year's Day. Many small businesses close down and employees go on leave over this period.

See also

  • South African apartheid referendum

References

  • Message by President Nelson Mandela on the first National Reconciliation Day, 16 December 1995
  • Day of Reconciliation
  • https://www.gov.za/DayofReconciliation2019