Public Holidays

South Africa has 12 public holidays as determined by the Public Holidays Act [No. 36 of 1994].
The Act also declares that whenever any public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be a public holiday.

The Public Holidays Amendment Act [No. 48 of 1995] also makes provision for the President to declare any day to be a public holiday, e.g. Wednesday 8th May 2019 (Election Day).

View the South African Government's website for further information regarding public holidays.

To see dates for all "Commemorative Events" observed by South Africa check the South African Government website

Public Holidays

New Year's Day

New Year's Day is an internationally observed holiday on January 1st (the first day of the Gregorian calender year).

Human Rights Day

Human Rights Day is an annual South African public holiday that is celebrated on March 21st.
The national holiday is both a stark reminder of the tragic Sharpeville massacre on 21 March 1960 when demonstrators were gunned down by police, and a celebration of South Africa’s unique constitution, which gives equal rights to all, as the South Afican Human Rights Commission was launched on 21 March 1996.

Good Friday

Good Friday is an internationally observed (Christian) holiday on the Friday before Easter Sunday

Family Day

Family Day (or Easter Monday) is an internationally observed holiday on the day after Easter Sunday.
Easter Monday was renamed to Family Day by the South Afican government in 1995.

Freedom Day

Freedom Day is an annual South African public holiday that is celebrated on April 27th.
The day celebrates freedom and commemorates the first democratic post-apartheid non-racial elections that were held on April 27th 1994.

Worker's Day

Worker's Day (or Labour Day) is an internationally observed holiday on May 1st

Youth Day

Youth Day is an annual South African public holiday that is celebrated on June 16th.
Previously known as Soweto Day, Youth Day commemorates the start of the Soweto riots of 1976 when over 700 people, mostly youths, were killed.

National Women's Day

National Women's Day is an annual South African public holiday that is celebrated on August 9th.
The holiday commemorates the national march of over 20,000 women on August 9th 1956 to petition against pass laws (legislation that required African persons to carry a document on them to 'prove' that they were allowed to enter a 'white area').

Heritage Day

Heritage Day is an annual South African public holiday that is celebrated on September 24th.
In an address marking Heritage Day in 1996, (former) President Mandela stated: "When our first democratically-elected government decided to make Heritage Day one of our national days, we did so because we knew that our rich and varied cultural heritage has a profound power to help build our new nation."

Day of Reconciliation

Day of Reconciliation is an annual South African public holiday that is celebrated on December 16th.
The holiday came into effect in 1994 after the end of apartheid, with the intention of fostering reconciliation and national unity.

Christmas Day

Christmas is an internationally observed (Christian) holiday on December 25th.

Day of Goodwill

Day of Goodwill (or Boxing Day / St. Stephen's Day) is an internationally observed holiday on December 26th.
Boxing Day was renamed to Day of Goodwill by the South African Government in 1994.