Calls for Christian holidays to be renamed amount to a minority of non-Christians seeking to enforce their will on the majority, the Afrikanerbond said on Friday.
Managing director Jan Bosman was reacting to comments by Pumla Madiba of the Commission for the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities.
Beeld newspaper quoted Madiba as saying ”it raises great concern” that Christians had many public holidays in the name of their religion.
The newspaper said there had been an application to the Department of Home Affairs for the names of Christian public holidays to be changed in favour of African religions also observed those days.
This request came from Kara Institute director Mathole Motshekga, who asked the department to ”de-Christianise” Christmas and Easter.
Bosman said Madiba’s pronouncements ”support the perception that a small minority of non-Christians wants to enforce their will on the majority”.
He pointed out: ”The overwhelming majority of South Africa’s population, namely 79,8%, proclaimed in the 2001 Census to be Christians”.
”Even more important is that 79,9% of the black population indicated that they were Christians,” added Bosman.
In addition, 86,8% of the coloured population, 24,4% of the Indian population and 86,9% of the white population also told the census they followed Christianity, Bosman said.
Motshekga said the birth dates of African ancestors fell in the week of Christmas.
”Therefore we are asking the department to change the names of those holidays so that all parties can use the days as they see fit, without concern or discrimination.” — Sapa