Reconciliation day

Reconciliation day!

16 December 'Day of Reconciliation" is a day of great significance in South Africa taken place due to historical events that took place. In 1838, a Battle of Blood River took place between the Voortrekkers and the Zulus in Southern Africa. During the period of Great Trek, the interior of South Africa, were of great eager to move and settle on land.

The interior of South Africa, the Voortrekker Leader (Piet Retief) was eager to negotiate with the Zulu chief Dingane. The region that they intended settling on was already inhabited by the Zulu tribe. Chief Dingane, having misunderstood Retief's intentions, Zulu chief Dingane planned an ambush and murdered his party of 100 people along with Retief himself.470 Voortrekkers, whom has the advantage of gunpowder, defeated the 10 000 strong Zulu army.

This in one’s view was a complete disadvantage towards the Zulu tribe when the Voortrekkers declared the land as their own. The second historical event that took place on 16 December was in 1961, was when Umkhonto we Sizwe was formed. It was the military back bone of the South African National Congress, the time when they took ruling of South Africa, called as we know as the ANC. First non-racial South Africans were pleading to celebrate and promote the significance of reconciliation and national unity. This was acknowledged to show the great unity of both the Afrikaner and the and liberation struggle taken place on the16th of December which was named as the day of Reconciliation day which is now a South African public holiday celebrated every year!

Writer: Kayleigh Welsh