The evolution of Reconciliation Day through South Africa’s history

Reconciliation Day is of great significance in the South African calendar of commemorations, mainly because the day is steeped in tumultuous racial relations dating back to the 1800s.

Two events that fundamentally altered race relations in South Africa took place on this day: The Day of the Vow in 1838 and the formation of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) in 1961.

Day of the Vow

During apartheid, December 16 was known as ‘Day of the Vow,’ ‘Day of the Covenant,’ or Dingane’s Day.

The Voortrekkers (pioneers), while preparing for the Battle of Blood River on this day in 1838, made a vow before God that they would build a church and pledged that their descendants would observe a day of thanksgiving should they emerge victorious in the battle.

The Battle of Blood River was fought in KwaZulu-Natal, on the bank of Ncome River.

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UmGungundlovu massacre

In February 1838, His Majesty King Dingane ka Senzangakhona Zulu, the Zulu king at the time, had concluded a deal with the Voortrekkers led by Piet Retief.

The deal allowed Voortrekker access to Port Natal, which the British also had an interest in.

The King invited Retief’s party for a celebration at his royal residence. In line with protocol when visiting a monarch, all weapons were surrendered at the gate.

That celebration turned into a bloodbath when Dingane suddenly accused the Trekkers of witchcraft and ordered them to be killed.

Dinagane’s soldiers bludgeoned Retief’s party to death and immediately after that, Dingane sent his regiment to attack several Voortrekker encampments.

Approximately 500 men, women, children and servants were murdered.

Farmers in the Cape Colony, and the remaining Voortrekkers in Natal subsequently requested the pro-independence Andries Pretorius to lead them into battle against the Zulus.

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The battle of Blood River

A battalion of 464 heavily armed Voortrekkers, led by commander Pretorius, took their chances against an estimated 10 000 to 15 000 Zulu warriors.

The battle also took place amid royal infighting between Prince Mpande, who by December fled with 17 000 followers.

Pretorius used the infighting to carve out a plan to oust Dingane by targeting him only and supporting Prince Mpande as his replacement.

First, Pretorius’ combatants weakened Dingane’s military base in UmGungundlovu, with the help of key allies, consisting of other Zulu chiefs in Mpande’s camp.

At daybreak in Natal on 16 December, the four-day Battle of Blood River began with most casualties coming from the Zulu camp.

On the fourth day, the Voortrekker command arrived at Dingane’s palace in Eshowe, only to find it abandoned and ash.

It was believed that Dingane and his men were either killed or fled the scene.

Ten days later, the Voortrekkers were caught in a trap by a Zulu prisoner, who led the men to the White Umfolozi River where a band of Zulus lay in wait.

Dinagane was only finally defeated after Mpande openly joined the Voortrekkers with his sizable army in January 1840.

Formation of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK)

On this day in 1961, the African National Congress (ANC) formed its military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK).

Before this, the ANC had a passive resistance approach against apartheid. But that stance changed after the 1960 Sharpeville massacre, where police indiscriminately shot peaceful protestors.

MK mostly performed acts of sabotage, but its effectiveness was hampered by organisational problems and the arrest of its leaders in 1963.

Day of Reconciliation

South Africa’s first nonracial and democratic government kept the public holiday but used it to promote reconciliation and national unity.

“One way in which it aimed to do this symbolically was to acknowledge the significance of the 16 December in both the Afrikaner and liberation struggle traditions and to rename this day as the Day of Reconciliation,” according to the South African government website.

The theme is United in Action Against Racism, Gender Based Violence and Other Intolerances.

The call to action is to challenge South Africans to confront their preconceived ideas about race and racism.

Compiled by Narissa Subramoney