What is the 12 holidays in South Africa?

Cultural Significance of South African Holidays

  • Human Rights Day (March 21st)
  • Freedom Day (March 27th)
  • Youth Day (June 16th)
  • National Women’s Day (August 9th)
  • Heritage Day (September 24th)
  • Day of Reconciliation (December 16th)

What happened Reconciliation day?

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.

What happened on the day of Goodwill?

On the Day of Goodwill, South Africans recover from the Christmas festivities and treat themselves to a day of fun, food, and sunshine. The day was originally celebrated as Boxing Day, but in 1994 the name of the holiday was changed to Day of Goodwill as a sign of severance from the region’s colonial past.

Was 10 October a public holiday in South Africa?

Kruger Day or Heroes’ Day was a public holiday in South Africa from 1882 to 1899 and again from 1952 to 1994, celebrated annually on 10 October in South Africa.

How many holidays are in December?

In fact, the Interfaith Calendar organization lists 14 religious holidays for the month of December.

Why do we celebrate Heritage Day in South Africa?

Heritage Day on 24 September recognises and celebrates the cultural wealth of our nation. South Africans celebrate the day by remembering the cultural heritage of the many cultures that make up the population of South Africa. Various events are staged throughout the country to commemorate this day.

What happened on the 16 December?

In apartheid South Africa 16 December was known as Day of the Vow, as the Voortrekkers in preparation for the Battle of Blood River on 16 December 1838 against the Zulus took a Vow before God that they would build a church and that they and their descendants would observe the day as a day of thanksgiving should they be …

Why is the 26th called Boxing Day?

The name comes from a time when the rich used to box up gifts to give to the poor. Boxing Day was traditionally a day off for servants – a day when they received a special Christmas box from their masters. The servants would also go home on Boxing Day to give Christmas boxes to their families.

Why is it called Boxing Day in South Africa?

Another popular theory is that it is named after the custom of priests opening alms boxes in churches after Christmas. These held money that had been donated to the poor and needy in the run-up to Christmas. Some churches still open these boxes on Boxing Day.

How many public holidays are there in South Africa?

12 public holidays
South Africa has 12 public holidays as determined by the Public Holidays Act (Act No 36 of 1994) [PDF]. The Act determines whenever any public holiday falls on a Sunday, the Monday following on it shall be a public holiday.

What National day is December 10th?

Human Rights Day
Human Rights Day on December 10th annually seeks to honor the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).