On 16 December, the South African Government held a Reconciliation Day Commemoration in KwaZulu-Natal Province. President Cyril Ramaphosa, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie, and KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli delivered speeches at the event. Diplomatic envoys to South Africa from various countries were also in attendance. Consul General of China in Durban Li Zhigong attended the event upon invitation and engaged in friendly exchanges with South African representatives and members of the diplomatic corps.

In his address, President Ramaphosa emphasized that South Africa is a nation united in diversity. All communities, regardless of race, language, or culture, are members of the South African national community and enjoy equal rights and opportunities. He stressed that there is no place in South Africa for discrimination or violence against any particular racial group. President Ramaphosa noted with pride that he had introduced to Chinese leaders the South African national anthem as the world’s only anthem sung in four different languages, which vividly reflects South Africa’s commitment to equality, inclusiveness, and reconciliation. He pointed out that attempts by certain external forces to ignore South Africa’s achievements in national unity and reconciliation and to incite racial hatred and confrontation are doomed to fail.

Reconciliation Day, established in 1995, is a national public holiday of South Africa. It aims to encourage society to remember the painful history of violent conflict between Black South Africans and white colonizers, promote mutual understanding, tolerance, and reconciliation among different communities, and advance national unity and social stability.