Please note that Tuesday the 24th of September 2019 is a national public holiday and we will be closed on Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th. We will reopen on Wednesday the 25th.
In KwaZulu-Natal, this day was known as Shaka’s day, commemorating the Zulu King Shaka, who died in 1828. The Public Holidays bill presented to parliment after 1994 didn’t originally include Heritage Day, and the Inkatha Freedom Party, a political party with a large Zulu membership, objected. A compromise was reached by creating a holiday that would forge a new identity for all South Africans.
To create unity from diversity after the dismantling of apartheid, Heritage Day highlights the histories of all racial groups and recognises all the men and women who have contributed to the heritage and culture of the nation.
Freedom of cultural, religious and linguistic expression is now enshrined in the constitution. The term Ubuntu, meaning “I am because you are”, is used to engender respect for other people.
South Africans visit heritage sites, acknowledge the different cultures, and celebrate the various aspects of our culture such as art, music, research and teaching.