‘A day of celebration’: Springbok public holiday falls 15 December

Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture Zizi Kodwa has called on South Africans to “relive the moments that followed the final whistle” of the 2023 Rugby World Cup when the Springboks made history as the fourth-time winners of the title in Paris, France on 28 October.

ZIZI KODWA URGES SOUTH AFRICANS TO CELEBRATE THE SPRINGBOK HOLIDAY

The National Sports Day celebration in honour of the Springboks’ victory in the 2023 Rugby World Cup games will take place on Friday, 15 December. The South African President Cyril Ramaphosa approved the holiday during his speech in October where he addressed the masses and said, “In celebration of the Springboks’ momentous achievement, and all our other sportsmen and women, I’m declaring Friday the 15th of December as a public holiday.”

In a statement recently shared on X (formally known as Twitter), the Sports, Ars, and Culture Department said “It is fitting that this celebratory holiday occurs during Reconciliation Month, which is dedicated to fostering reconciliation and unity in the country”.

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Minister Zizi Kodwa has since called on all South Africans to celebrate “the country’s sporting excellence and to showcase creative artistic brilliance”.

“I call on South Africans to wear our national team colours and jerseys on Friday. Let us gather in villages and towns to celebrate what has been a momentous year for South African sport and creative arts,” Kodwa’s said.

On Friday 15 December, declared by President @CyrilRamaphosa as a holiday to celebrate the @Springboks’ record-breaking Rugby World Cup win, I call on all South Africans to wear our national team colours and jerseys to celebrate the power of sport and the arts to unite. pic.twitter.com/BQXEG6q2vJ

— Minister of Sport, Arts & Culture (@zizikodwa) December 13, 2023

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‘A DAY OF HOPE’: MORE ABOUT THE HOLIDAY

The Springboks flew the South African flag high in Paris after beating the New Zealand’s All Blacks team 12-11 in the final. To honour the victory, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared the 15th of December as “a day of hope, a day of celebration and unity.”

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