As an employer, I read with excitement that recommendations submitted to the President suggest changes with regard to public holidays. The committee feel that there are too many public holidays at the moment and some have religious connections to one religion only which is of course not fair to other religions. Some of the proposals make sense. If a date is important, because on that day, in the past something important happened, then that is the important day. It cannot be, when that day falls on a Sunday that you need to make the Monday a public holiday because for anybody to whom the date is important, they will naturally celebrate on the Sunday, and there is simply no basis to take the Monday off, when that date is of no consequence in terms of history.

We are taking part in a global economy and there is no point in simply giving people days off just because the remembrance of the historical day fell on a Sunday that year. Naturally, the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry supported fewer holidays, given that they would obviously be in favour of more productivity which this country desperately needs. Other proposals include removing Family Day, Boxing Day and the Day of Reconciliation as well declaring some public holidays half days only, as opposed to full days off. I am sure for the usual brigade, who believe that you should have 30 days’ sick leave a year, not work more than 20 hours a week, and get paid overtime for the work you made sure you did not finish during working hours that there will be the usual howls of protest, but for those of us who would like to try and get our economy improving, it is a great idea – and it is only a pity that they say this process is going to take at least three years to finalise!