Before the African National Congress came into power under Nelson Mandela in 1994, South Africa’s national holidays meant little to South Africans other than a day off work for some. But that all changed under Mandela when these holidays were altered to commemorate days that South Africans would equate with.
The new national day’s off work became:
- 21st March – Human Rights Day
- 27th April – Freedom Day
- 1st May – Workers’ Day
- 16th June – Youth Day
- 18th July – Mandela Day
- 9th August – National Women’s Day
- 24th September – Heritage Day
- 16th December – Day of Reconciliation
You can find out more about the individual holidays and what they stand for by reading this article published on the Thoughtco.com website.
Reasons for going on holiday
It probably won’t come as much of a surprise to most readers to know that the reason that the majority of South Africans want to go on holiday is to have a break from routine and relax.
A lot of people see a holiday as being an ideal opportunity to reconnect with family. But the fact of the matter is that many see this type of holiday as being a chore and not always a fun one. Rather than trolling off to see “oom and tannie,” a large proportion of folk want to see and explore new places – places both in South Africa and in other countries around the world.
Today’s South Africans, who haven’t had the wherewithal to travel much before now, want to have new experiences and broaden their horizons and learn more about the many different cultures on the planet. But of course, going abroad for a holiday costs money, and for many, it is out of the question.
Affordable domestic holidays
Thankfully there is so much to see in South Africa that a domestic holiday can still be delightful and extremely informative too. However, any sort of holiday still costs money, and for those with children – even more so. But there are still plenty of things you can do to stop the kids getting bored.
If you’d like a few suggestions for cheap ideas to keep the children occupied during holidays, follow this link to an article about things you can do on holiday that won’t cost you an arm or a leg.
Good holiday abroad deals
But it’s holidaying abroad that most South Africans hanker after, and if you choose your destination carefully, it’s not as expensive as you might at first think. Take Thailand as an example.
Thailand has two advantages as a holiday destination for South Africans. The first is currency. The South African Rand is much stronger than the Thai Baht. This means that accommodation and eating out is ridiculously cheap. Of course, you need to be careful which venues you book, but there are plenty of fantastic bargains you can seek out.
The other significant advantage with travelling to Thailand is that South Africans do not need visas. If you’ve tried getting visas for other holiday destinations before, you’ll know just how time-consuming and frustrating it can be.
Thailand isn’t the only country where visas are not required. For some other useful tips on countries or holidays that are attractive for South Africans, take a peek at this article in the Independent Online.ZA website.
