The 24 September is a public holiday in South Africa known as Heritage Day. It is a day for you to celebrate your individual culture and all the different cultures that make up our rainbow South African nation. You can dress up in your traditional attire and celebrate the day with family and friends. If you prefer something more formal, there are events held throughout South Africa to mark the day.

If you are looking for something to wear on Heritage Day you can visit our Woza Moya Hillcrest or Windermere shops. We always have a selection of traditional Zulu clothing and jewellery available for you to choose from. You can have a lot of fun choosing your outfit and can wear it with pride on 24 September.

If you need some inspiration on what to wear, below are a few photos of our Woza Moya staff from Heritage Day 2021.

History of Heritage Day

The 24 September was previously celebrated as Shaka’s Day in KwaZulu-Natal in commemoration of the great Zulu King Shaka who was believed to have died on this date in 1828. This was a very important day to the Zulu people and was celebrated by many.

In 1995 Shaka’s Day was omitted from the list of proposed public holidays that was presented before the new South African Parliament. After an objection from the Inkatha Freedom Party, a compromise was reached which resulted in the 24 September being made the Heritage Day public holiday. The intention of this public holiday is that all South Africans have a day to celebrate their cultural heritage.

Heritage Day in South Africa is complicated as the country has a history of cultural division and it is not always easy to find common ground.

Braai Day

In 2005 Jan Scannell proposed an initiative that the Heritage Day public holiday be known as National Braai Day. The aim was for South Africans to celebrate the day by having a braai (barbecue) with family and friends. One of the supporters of the concept of Braai Day was Archbishop emeritus Desmond Tutu who was made the National Spokesperson for Braai Day in 2007.

“There are so many things that are pulling us apart, this has a wonderful potential to bring us all together…. We have 11 different official languages but only one word for the wonderful institution of braai: in Xhosa, English, Afrikaans, whatever,” Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Acceptance of Heritage Day

After years of difficulties with the concept of Heritage Day, the holiday was finally embraced and endorsed by the National Heritage Council in 2007.

Today there are many braai fires burning on 24 September as people come together in groups to celebrate and to enjoy the day off work. Heritage Day Celebratory Events also take place throughout South Africa.

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heritage_Day_(South_Africa)
https://nationaltoday.com/heritage-day/
https://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/first-celebration-national-heritage-day