The lights of Diwali must shine across the nation

WHILE all other Indian diasporas have declared Diwali as a public holiday, South Africa which has an Indian population of more than 1.5 million has yet to do so.

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In India, Diwali is naturally a major national holiday, with celebrations lasting five days or more. Diwali is also a public holiday for all citizens — or at least Hindus — in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Fiji, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Malaysia and Singapore.

In several states in the United States, such as New York and Pennsylvania, Diwali has been declared a public holiday in schools and certain institutions. Given its significant Indian population, why is South Africa the odd one out?

Declaring Diwali as a public holiday carries powerful social, cultural and constitutional significance, especially in multicultural societies like South Africa.