Last chance to save Easter and Christmas holidays

THE deadline for proposals to cancel Good Friday and Christmas as paid holidays from the South African calendar has been extended to the end of next month.

Nelson Mandela Bay’s Christian community urged its members yesterday to rally against the move by voicing their concerns and adding their names to petitions.

Other religious leaders from the Muslim, Jewish and Hindu faiths said the holidays should remain a fixture on the calendar.

Progressive Bethel Baptist Church senior pastor Diba Madola called the scrapping of Christian holidays an act of provocation.

“While we do not advocate violence, the church should awaken and stage a peaceful protest. If the government refuses to listen then we must dethrone them at the ballot box,” he said.

The South African Law Reform Commission is behind the move.

The commission believes that the religious holidays of Easter and Christmas are unconstitutional, because they are prejudicial to people of other faiths.

According to the commission, to have the two main Christian holidays as paid public holidays amounts to unfair discrimination towards people of other faiths who have to take leave to celebrate their religious holidays.

It has pointed out this contradiction to the Department of Home Affairs, which is the state entity in charge of the national calendar.

Commission secretary Nelson Matibe said they were tasked by the cabinet to identify provisions in legislation that were inconsistent with the equality clause in the constitution.

“Everyone is equal before the law and in the process we looked at public holidays. We formed an opinion that some public holidays could infringe on other faiths.

“We are not saying they must be removed from statute books, but it’s proper to accommodate people of all faiths,” Matibe said.

Combined Methodist Church district bishop the Rev Xolani Tengo called the proposal immoral.

“We will be forced to take it to court if this happens,” he said.

Father’s House pastor George Georgiou said he was in favour of retaining Christian holidays.

“Christmas and Easter holidays are very significant. All religions must be respected and allowed to celebrate their culture without infringing upon others,” he said.

South End and Malabar SS Aulayam [temple] priest Shri Kesu Padayachy said: “I am totally opposed to removing the religious holidays. However, consideration should also be given to Hindus as they celebrate the Festival of

Lights. We are a multinational society.”

Malabar mosque principal Mufti Siraj Desai said they would not be affected by the decision because they did not observe Good Friday or Christmas.

“Being a Muslim, we have only two main festivals in the year which we set aside for prayers. The two days [Eid] we celebrate are not public holidays, thus why we have not approached the government,” he said.

Speaking in her personal capacity, Mary Kluk, chairwoman of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies, said conversation was needed on the matter.

“It will be disrespectful to the majority of Christians to simply remove these holidays. We re- quire conversation over the subject and working together and respect of the minorities,” she said.

Miley Ajam, who described himself as just a layman Muslim, said people should exercise tolerance when it came to religious affairs and not scrap the current religious holidays.

“I feel there should be religious tolerance. If you open up a debate it will be a minefield. Labour issues can be resolved by simply giving [religious] minorities time off. The powers that be should think clearly about this because Christians are in the majority,” Ajam said.

Those who want to make submissions about the proposal should phone (012) 622-6261 or e-mail: reform@justice.gov.za