Hamilton man Rudi du Plooy says it's time for South Africa's Day of Reconciliation to turn back to Day of the Vow.

South African expats living in New Zealand have revived an Afrikaans national day abolished years ago as a racist relic in their homeland.

The Day of the Vow, on December 16, marks the 1838 Battle of Blood River in which 460 white Voortrekkers fought off 20,000 Zulu. The lopsided conflict left 3000 spear-wielding Zulu dead and three of the rifle-armed Afrikaners with minor injuries.

The event was a mainstay of Afrikaaner cultural identity during the apartheid era, but with the fall of the white-minority rule the day was overlaid with a new national Day of Reconciliation in 1994.

DOMINICO ZAPATA/STUFF Rudi du Plooy celebrates the controversial Day of the Vow, an Afrikaans holiday commemorating a battle between the Voortrekkers and the Zulu.

South African expat Rudi du Plooy gathered about 20 people at a Hamilton church on Saturday, where he told them they had been thrust into an "era of being politically correct". But he was convinced the day's original name and focus should stand, especially in the face of attacks on white farmers.

"This serves as a reminder that God can intervene if you talk to him. They made a promise to serve him and build a church, because of this God helped good triumph over evil. God can intervene with what is happening in South Africa now with the slaughter of innocent farmers," du Plooy said.

Day of the Vow features on the website of American Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke in glowing terms, but du Plooy said he was not racist and the day was an opportunity to draw attention to the plight of white farmers in his homeland, whom he contended were the subject of a campaign of violence by the ANC-led government.

DOMINICO ZAPATA/STUFF Crosses were planted outside the church to honour white farmers allegedly murdered by black South Africans.

"We've made an apology for apartheid, we made an apology for all sorts of things that we did wrong and we didn't do good and that we should have done, we should have looked after our kids better, all the other things, but this [farmer murders] is a big thing."

South African-based history professor Professor Albert Grundlingh reviewed a transcript of du Plooy's sermon and labelled it racist. He said claims by du Plooy that the government was behind farm killings were baseless.

"The whole piece is shamelessly biased, though as I said, for propaganda to succeed it must be seen as plausible and the basic facts about the event are all there, though I am not too sure about the numbers," he said.

"It made no attempt to be even-handed and also makes far-fetched claims ascribing a kind of essentialism to black people."

Hamilton-based South African Methodist reverend Ann Preston moved to New Zealand in 2010 and was appalled that Day of the Vow was being rekindled by fellow immigrants.

"It's the first time I have heard of it here in New Zealand," she said.

"Obviously we all left because we were not happy with the country [South Africa] but to not want to move past that kind of hatred and that kind of animosity we just have to wonder what kind of people are living here, if they are still carrying that kind of stuff into a new country.

"To imagine that God would be on anybody's side when it comes to killing each other, for me is against the very foundations of our faith.

"But I know South Africans believe that, a lot of them can't imagine being in a place called heaven with somebody of a darker colour. But they made that vow that if they won they would celebrate that day forever.

"But if you look at the history of the country and in terms of reconciliation, we're all equal. I just think it is very biased and it's very sad."

Du Plooy said Grundlingh's position as a scholar did not give him the right to call him racist.

"It may sound corny but I have a lot of black friends. I don't see difference in race, my record is I knew a lot of black leaders and they've respected me and I've respected them. It's just a different culture that's all, but they're all human beings and I have to respect them for that," du Plooy said.

"And black leaders, presidents and I have to respect the office of the president. I'm a very disciplined preacher."

Race Relations Conciliator Dame Susan Devoy declined requests for an interview on the issue.

In a statement her office said: "We urge all New Zealanders make peace a verb through their actions in their everyday lives. We haven't received any complaints about this sermon or the person who delivered it at this stage."

Hamilton City councillor James Casson was the only invited politician to attend du Plooy's event but said he did not know the history of the day.

"I was invited as a councillor and had a listen. The message that came out of it was people have to be kind to each other," he said.

"I don't regret going, like I said it's a knowledge-building thing for me as an invited councillor. It's always interesting, people will always have their different opinions as to what happened on things."

"It didn't come across to me as anti-anything … Now knowing what I know if that is the case from experts I would reconsider that."

What is Day of the Vow?

The day marks the conflict between Voortrekkers and Zulu tribesmen in South Africa on December 16, 1838. The Voortrekkers were moving away from British rule in the Cape colony and were looking for new land.

The Voortrekkers had been recently betrayed by a Zulu king and many of their leaders killed.

The 460 Voortrekkers circled their wagons on the banks of a river and fought off 20,000 Zulu. Guns and cannons ensured a victory for the Afrikaaners that left the river running with the blood of 3000 dead Zulu.

The victors promised to be loyal to God, build a church to mark the day and also keep the story alive.

The day became divisive for apartheid-era South Africans and was targeted by the African National Congress for strikes and sabotage.