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Public Holidays in South Africa

The Act lists 12 public holidays (10 fixed dates plus Good Friday and Family Day, which move with Easter). See the 2026 public holidays list.

“The days mentioned in Schedule 1 shall be public holidays, and whenever any public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be a public holiday.”

Public Holidays Act 36 of 1994, section 2(1) (PDF), as of 6 November 2026.

Section 2(1) gives no extra day when a public holiday falls on a Saturday.

Public holidays by year

Accounter’s 2026 list includes the 4 November 2026 election holiday (Proclamation Notice 346 of 2026); the gov.za list may lag. 2027 includes Monday 27 December 2027 (26 December is a Sunday, s2(1)).

Working days

Count working days between two dates, with public holidays taken out, using the working days calculator.

Related

Frequently asked questions

How many public holidays are there in South Africa?
The Act lists 12 public holidays. When one falls on a Sunday, the Monday after it is also a public holiday, and the President can declare a once-off extra day (as with 4 November 2026). Each year's full list is on the 2026 and 2027 pages.
What happens if a public holiday falls on a Sunday?
“The days mentioned in Schedule 1 shall be public holidays, and whenever any public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be a public holiday.”
What happens if a public holiday falls on a Saturday?
Section 2(1) only moves Sunday holidays; it gives no extra day for a Saturday.
What is the difference between a public holiday and a religious holiday?
Only the days listed in Schedule 1 of the Act (and any day the President declares) are public holidays. Other religious or cultural days are not public holidays under the Act.