Heritage Day

Heritage Day used to be known as Shaka Day in KwaZulu-Natal, according to South African History Online. The day was made into a holiday to commemorate the Zulu king, Shaka Zulu. In 1995, the Public Holidays Bill was presented to the new democratic Parliament of South Africa but it didn’t include Shaka Day. In response to this, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), a South African political party with a large Zulu membership, objected to the bill.Eventually, parliament and the African National Congress (ANC) managed to reach a compromise with the IFP. They agreed for the day to become a holiday where all South Africans observed and celebrated their diverse cultural heritage.Jane Mufamadi CEO Freedom Park Souayibou Varissou Executive Director African World Heritage Fund