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The Debates concerning the Day of Reconciliation

The Debates concerning the Day of Reconciliation On this page, we examine the discussions surrounding South Africa’s Day of Reconciliation. The legality and advantages of the 16 December Day of Reconciliation are the subject of numerous valid and divergent debates when considering the current state of South Africa. While some think the day of reconciliation serves no discernible purpose, others are of the opinion that it actually has noble objectives.

About the Day of Reconciliation

On 16 December 1995, for the first time, South Africa celebrated a Day of Reconciliation whereby both the Afrikaner and liberation struggle traditions were acknowledged symbolically to be part of a democratic and equal society. The date, 16 December, is significant because of two events that took place in South Africa’s very turbulent past. In 1838, the Voortrekkers were making their preparations to fight the Zulus at the Battle of Blood River.

Sources of Debates

For many South African, the Day of Reconciliation serves as a reminder of the miles we traveled in terms of striving to attain human rights for every South African citizen. However, there are those that believe that the day of reconciliation is redundant and serves no purpose, because of the following reasons:

• There is still a great inequality between white and black.
• Poverty is still rife in the black communities in the new South Africa despite the freedom and the reconciliation which took place.
• Black people still own almost no land as compared to white people
• Reconciliation serves no purpose if it doesn’t empower the victims

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