The Citizen reports that the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) on Monday made an appeal to government to declare 5 December a public holiday and name it after their fallen anti-apartheid hero, Robert Sobukwe.  

The PAC said Nelson Mandela should not be the only political icon commemorated on the day.  Sobukwe, the founder of the PAC, was born on 5 December 1924 in Graaff-Reinet and Mandela died on 5 December 2013.  Both leaders were incarcerated at Robben Island.  Speaking on Monday, PAC spokesperson Kenneth Mokgatlhe said:  “We are worried that not honouring Sobukwe will seem as if his contribution towards the liberation of this country was less important.”

• Read this report in full at The Citizen
• Read the PAC’s press statement at Polity
• See too, PAC calls for Sobukwe Day as national public holiday, at SowetanLive

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page