New Tourism Minister's Easter travel tips
Minister of Tourism Tokozile Xasa on Tuesday, welcomed people who planned on travelling to South Africa from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to participate in various religious activities over Easter weekend.
"We welcome all visitors to our country over this holiday period," said Xasa.
"We are particularly mindful that this is a very important period for many religious denominations, and we wish them all a safe and pleasant stay in our country."
People travel in their millions from all around the SADC region to places like Moria in Limpopo and Ndwedwe in KwaZulu-Natal for religious gatherings during this period.
"As the worshippers conduct their prayers and cultural rituals, we hope that they will find some time to enjoy the warm hospitality that our country offers, and that they will visit some of our many iconic attractions, like our cultural and historical sites, during their travels."
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Xasa urged South Africans to make the best of the holidays and enjoy the beauty of their country.
"I want to encourage those who are not taking part in religious activities to also explore the local sites and attractions in their regions. There are many interesting places in every part of our country, and we should all make the best of them."
The Easter weekend will commence on Friday 14 April till Monday 17 April.
"If you live in Soweto, for example, go to the Hector Petersen Memorial, visit Vilakazi Street and Freedom Square at Kliptown, and take others there, especially people from out of town. Experience for yourself how our democracy was born and shaped, and tell others about your visit so that they will also be encouraged to visit these important places," Xasa said.
"If you are in KwaZulu-Natal on holiday, go to the beach for the day, but don't stop there. Visit the many maritime and coastal attractions near the beach, and the many heritage sites in the province. Everybody in our country knows about Nelson Mandela, but how many of us have actually been to the historic site near Howick where he was arrested?"
Xasa acknowledged that affordability was a big factor which limited the ability of many South Africans to take holidays.