Celebrate your country, celebrate who you are, celebrate South Africa Day
South Africa Day 2023 to be celebrated on Saturday, 25 November
As a nation and as communities
As a nation and as communities, we come from a difficult history that alienated entire peoples from a sense of belonging to our country; a difficult history that has divided communities on the basis of race, and which has divided South Africa in a deep and fundamental way. The legacy of that history still manifests itself in racially divided and impoverished communities. The elimination of the legacy of this history will require all South Africans to make a special effort, on a consistent and committed basis, towards lasting and positive nation-building. South Africa Day seeks to be a holistic initiative to overcome those legacies of the past, on an enduring and lasting basis.
Our country is full of possibility
Our country is full of possibility, a vibrant and creative youth, people who greet one another, people who mourn the passing of others, people who tell incredible jokes and who help one another. This indomitable spirit of South Africa that exists in each community and in every place needs to be harnessed towards the important task of positive nation-building. Instead of thinking of ourselves as separate islands, disconnected and afloat, South Africa Day fosters a sense of belonging to a bigger whole, a thing much larger than the sum of its parts. South Africa Day is intended to galvanise that hope into tangible action towards nation-building and a prosperous future.
South Africa Day is not a public holiday
South Africa Day is not a public holiday, but a day of celebration and of community togetherness that is supported by South African business, and driven by ordinary citizens. South Africa Day will, therefore, be a day on which projects, celebrations and events aimed at community-building are carried out throughout the nation.
As a nation-building day
As a nation-building day, South Africa Day is aimed at physically bringing together South Africans who would otherwise have never met without special efforts or programmes.
While South Africa already has many specific focused days
While South Africa already has many specific focused days, such as Youth Day, Women’s Day, Worker’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Mandela Day (dedication of 67 minutes of service to humanity, with international focus), Heritage Day (cultural diversity), Africa Day (formerly African Freedom Day and African Liberation Day, which is an annual commemoration of the foundation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and that is now known as AU or African Union), there is no day set aside for the deliberate bringing together of South Africans as a whole.
South Africa Day is meant to be a journey
South Africa Day is meant to be a journey where all South Africans are invited to contribute towards building and improving their communities through partnerships with organisations that operate within their communities.
South Africa Day has some parallels with other countries
South Africa Day has some parallels with other countries like Australia, which has an Australia Day (www.australiaday.org.au).
South Africa Day founders meetings during early days of South Africa Day
SA Day Working Committee
South Africa Day Success Story
The SA Towns Makeover Project is one of the highly successful projects that South Africa Day has undertaken.
Already, more than 27 towns in South Africa have taken part in the SA Towns Makeover Project.
Ford South Africa and SA Day
In support of the SA Towns Makeover Project, Ford South Africa has donated a Ford Ranger to support SA Day.
SA Day Resuscitation of Solomon Mahlangu Freedom Square Project
South Africa Day will soon expand its focus on Mamelodi, Pretoria, and the Greater Tshwane area, which will start with the SA Day Resuscitation of Solomon Mahlangu Freedom Square Project.
Alexandra Township Mega Project
‘We Love Alexandra Community Makeover Project’
The Project focuses on the rebuilding and economic development of Alexandra, under the stewardship of the ‘We Love Alexandra Community Makeover Project Managing Board’, which is led by Baba Linda Twala, Father of Alexandra.
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South Africa Day has been granted Tax Exemption Status by the South African Revenue Service (SARS)