₦airaland Forum

The City of Cape Town has denied allegations that Christian symbols were removed from this year’s Adderley Street festive lights display, insisting that religious elements such as angels, Mary and baby Jesus are still present.

According to the Cape Argus, this follows growing public criticism from political parties and religious groups, who claim the exclusion of Christian imagery reflects a lack of transparency and cultural sensitivity.

In a formal response to media enquiries, the City said the annual festive lights along Adderley Street — a tradition spanning over five decades — continue to feature a blend of symbols celebrating Cape Town’s heritage, landscape, and diverse communities.

“The Festive Lights are themed each year to incorporate various icons representing Cape Town’s unique features, including Table Mountain, penguins, the Klopse, wings, bells, and more,” the statement said.

The City added that in recent years, the display has been centred around themes of “hope”, including the 2025 theme, United in Hope, with annual updates to refresh the visual presentation.

“No decision has been taken to remove any Christian or religious symbolism from the Festive Lights. In fact, angels, Mary and baby Jesus are included among the various elements this year. It must be acknowledged that Cape Town is a cosmopolitan city, home to people from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds,” the City said.

Despite these assurances, the dispute has continued, with differing accounts over what is displayed this year. Faith-based organisations and political parties have called for clarity regarding the design process and decision-making involved.

Freedom Front Plus councillor Paul Jacobson publicly criticised the City, alleging that longstanding Christian imagery had been removed. In a social media post, he questioned who authorised the change, claiming his inquiries across several municipal departments had yielded no answers.

“Despite my efforts as a councillor to discover which City official authorised the removal of Christian symbolism from the Adderley Street Christmas lights, no one has taken responsibility,” he wrote.

Jacobson said Christian organisations and clergy were “deeply disturbed” by the absence of traditional elements and called the alleged move “anti-Christ” and “anti-Christian”. He further called for the dismissal of the official responsible and issued an apology to the Christian community. He later speculated — expressing his personal opinion — that the Mayor might be involved.

The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) has also condemned the alleged exclusion. ACDP councillor Mongezi Mabungane said the party was “deeply outraged and profoundly disappointed,” arguing that the removal of Christian symbols disregards the cultural and religious identity of a significant portion of the population.

Mabungane called for the immediate reinstatement of the religious symbols, a public apology from the City, and for the official responsible to be identified and to provide a full explanation of the decision and the department behind it.

While the City maintains that religious elements remain part of the display, the incident has sparked a broader conversation about inclusion, identity, and the role of cultural symbols in public celebrations.

Religion sha..

It has destroyed the world more than any other thing..

Only God knows when Africans will escape this mental slavery disguised as religion.

pdppower:
Only God knows when Africans will escape this mental slavery disguised as religion.

There is no mental slavery in Christianity. The real slavery is the traditional one that made your forefathers weak and colonised. The one the rulers of today still bow to secretly.

Huge turnout for 2025 Cape Town festive lights

Are there Moslems in South Africa?

Benwallt:
Are there Moslems in South Africa?

Yes, there's a big muslim community, but it's mostly from Indians

They know what they are doing……..

By next Christmas they will include Rainbow Flags.

Benwallt:
Are there Moslems in South Africa?

DO NOT ALLOW YOUR HATRED FOR ISLAM TO SEND YOU TO YOUR EARLY GRAVE BROTHER

HISTORY IS A GREAT TEACHER

BAILMONEY:
DO NOT ALLOW YOUR HATRED FOR ISLAM TO SEND YOU TO YOUR EARLY GRAVE BROTHER

HISTORY IS A GREAT TEACHER

So, a simple question as 'are there Moslems in South Africa warranted this comment?' it's such a pity

IronGalaxy:
Yes, there's a big muslim community, but it's mostly from Indians

That's great to hear. Never heard any Moslem problem from south Africa. Or the southern African Moslems are different from West, North and East African?

Benwallt:
That's great to hear. Never heard any Moslem problem from south Africa. Or the southern African Moslems are different from West, North and East African?

South Africa is very tolerant of different creeds.. You can be anything, nobody really cares

IronGalaxy:
South Africa is very tolerant of different creeds.. You can be anything, nobody really cares

Kudos to them. That's how it's suppose to be

tiger28:
They know what they are doing……..

By next Christmas they will include Rainbow Flags.

There's already a rainbow crossing. Plus SA was the first county in Africa to legalize same sex marriages in the early 2000s.

So joke's on you!

IronGalaxy:
South Africa is very tolerant of different creeds.. You can be anything, nobody really cares

. Yeah, that's true. You can be anything but xenophobic

BAILMONEY:
DO NOT ALLOW YOUR HATRED FOR ISLAM TO SEND YOU TO YOUR EARLY GRAVE BROTHER

HISTORY IS A GREAT TEACHER

I love this your response.
You can even sense his hatred through his spelling "Moslems".

SixSeven:
. Yeah, that's true. You can be anything but xenophobic

This x- card is so tired

IronGalaxy:
This x- card is so tired

I wish that were true. I like good humans, I hope you do too

2025 has been a successful year for South Africa

So they deserve to celebrate

SixSeven:
. Yeah, that's true. You can be anything but xenophobic

My brother dem know themselves.

My brother Irongalaxy no wan accept the truth.

seppuku:
My brother dem know themselves.

My brother Irongalaxy no wan accept the truth.

I will, the day you admit.. your own tribalisti.c nature.. until then, I owe you no explaination

IronGalaxy:
I will, the day you admit.. your own tribalisti.c nature.. until then, I owe you no explaination

Admitted. There are Nigerians who are tribalistic.

Can you admit that your people are Xenophobes hiding behind the mask of Patriotism?

seppuku:
Admitted. There are Nigerians who are tribalistic.

Can you admit that your people are Xenophobes hiding behind the mask of Patriotism?

You admit that there are "SOME" Nigerians who are tribalistic, and yet you want me to admit that South Africans" are Xenophobic," why not "SOME"?

IronGalaxy:
You admit that there are "SOME" Nigerians who are tribalistic, and yet you want me to admit that South Africans" are Xenophobic," why not "SOME"?

Commons sense would guide you to understanding that the "xenophobic" designation cannot be generalized and thus cannot apply to "all" people.

Now admit your people are Xenophobic and stop moving goal posts.

seppuku:
Commons sense would guide your to understanding that the "xenophobic" designation cannot be generalized and thus apply to all people.

Now admit your people are Xenophobic and stop moving goal posts.

Use the same logic with Nigeria and tribalis.m..

IronGalaxy:
Use the same logic with Nigeria and tribalis.m..

You can't admit it can you?

Shame!

seppuku:
You can't admit it can you?

Shame!

Look, this is simple.. if you can easily say South Africans are like this and that..

You can easily say Nigerians are this and that..

I won't entertain your hypocrisy.

IronGalaxy:
Yes, there's a big muslim community, but it's mostly from Indians

With the way those pakistani's and somali's are escaping xenophobia in joburg, its about to become a majority muslim city in no time.

seppuku:
With the way those pakistani's and somali's are escaping xenophobia in joburg, its about to become a majority muslim city in no time.

Okay

IronGalaxy:
Look, this is simple.. if you can easily say South Africans are like this and that..

You can easily say Nigerians are this and that..

I won't entertain your hypocrisy.

Just say it Mfethu. Your people are Xenophobic. Free your mind!

Stubborn people.

IronGalaxy:
Okay

Aren't you and Randdigital worried or you only dislike Nigerians and Zimbabweans?