As South Africa commemorates Reconciliation Month in December, government has called on South Africans to deepen their commitment to unity, healing, forgiveness and nation-building.
Government further encouraged citizens to ensure that the values of reconciliation remain central to South Africa’s shared future.
This was shared by Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie during the launch of this year’s national commemoration, which will be taking place on Tuesday, 16 December 2025 at the Ncome Museum, Nquthu Local Municipality, within the uMzinyathi District in the KwaZulu-Natal Province.
Located at the Battle of Blood River heritage site, the Ncome Museum offers a powerful and symbolic setting for the 2025 National Day of Reconciliation.
It is here that the 1838 battle between the Voortrekker forces and the Zulu Kingdom unfolded in a historical event that shaped differing and often divisive commemorative practices for more than a century.
Before 1995, 16 December was commemorated separately and divisively as Dingane’s Day or the Day of the Covenant, reflecting the fractured historical landscape of colonial and apartheid South Africa.
In 1995, the democratic government redefined the day as the National Day of Reconciliation, transforming it from a symbol of division into a unifying platform for truth, justice, dialogue, healing, and shared nationhood.
Hosting the 2025 programme at Ncome reaffirms this commitment and the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has urged the nation to engage honestly with its complex past while advancing a future rooted in inclusion, understanding and unity.
“Reconciliation Month is not merely a date on our national calendar. It is a national mirror. This year, we return to Ncome not to reopen old wounds, but to reaffirm our promise to future generations that South Africa shall never again be divided by hatred, injustice or exclusion,” the Minister said.
He emphasised that while government can create platforms for dialogue, healing and nation-building, the real work belongs to the people themselves.
“Government can open the space for engagement, but reconciliation is a responsibility that rests with every South African. Our mission now is to build a future where our children inherit unity, not division,” the Minister said.
Building on the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, government continues to implement programmes that promote social cohesion and democratic participation.
These efforts are guided by the Medium-Term Strategic Framework and the Medium-Term Development Plan under the Government of National Unity (GNU).
The GNU’s core principles are nation-building, social cohesion, non-racialism, non-sexism, unity, and shared governance, providing a strengthened platform for advancing national healing.
In the lead-up to National Reconciliation Day, various government departments and entities will host a series of activities to commemorate the month.
“Government calls on all South Africans and citizens to participate in Reconciliation Month activities in their communities and continue engaging in robust and honest conversations towards commitment to unity, healing, forgiveness, and nation-building,” the department said. -SAnews.gov.za
