Founders Day (South Africa)

Founders Day (Afrikaans: Stigtingsdag) or Van Riebeeck's Day was a formal public holiday of the Union of South Africa and the Republic of South Africa until 1994.

Jan van Riebeeck arrives at Table Bay on 6 April 1652.

Background

The holiday was established on 6 April 1952 during the Van Riebeeck Festival in honour of the 300th anniversary of the arrival of the Dutch in South Africa. Jan van Riebeeck arrived at Table Bay on 6 April 1652 as a result Cape Town was founded. From 1980, the day became known as Founders Day (Stigtingsdag).[1]

The holiday was abolished after the first universal franchise election in 1994 and the subsequent new constitution.

Founders Day continues to be celebrated in the Afrikaner enclave Orania.[2]

References

"On this day in history: Jan van Riebeeck arrived in Table Bay". Zululand Observer. 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
"Kulturele Vakansiedae in Orania" (PDF). Voorgrond (in Afrikaans). Orania Beweging. February 2009. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2022.

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[1] "On this day in history: Jan van Riebeeck arrived in Table Bay". Zululand Observer. 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2019-02-21.

[voorgrond200902-2] "Kulturele Vakansiedae in Orania" (PDF). Voorgrond (in Afrikaans). Orania Beweging. February 2009. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2022.