Question

Explain the changes that were made to the day of reconciliation (16 December)

Answer 1

Reconciliation Day is a public holiday in South Africa held annually on December 16. The holiday came into force in 1994, after the end of apartheid, with the intention of promoting reconciliation and national unity of the country.

When apartheid ended, it was decided to keep December 16 as a public holiday, but to infuse it "with the aim of promoting reconciliation and national unity." The celebration was created by the government in 1994. Nelson Mandela was part of the group of politicians who helped start the holiday idea. On December 16, 1995, the first celebration took place. The first meeting of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission was also held on December 16, 1995. In a speech in 1995, Archbishop Desmond Tutu described the holiday as intended for the need to heal the wounds of apartheid.

Answer 2

The establishment of December 16 as a public holiday was an attempt to strike a balance between a divided past and promoting national unity and reconciliation in a new political dispensation.