Next holiday: Day of Reconciliation - 16 December 2026 (44 days)
Next event: All Souls' Day - 02 November 2026 (0 days)
South Africa Public Holidays 2026: Dates, Days and Long Weekends
South Africa public holidays 2026 total 12 official days, plus an extra Monday off on 10 August. This guide lists every date and weekday, the best long weekends, the 2027 dates and a free printable calendar.
| Date | Holiday | Day | Days Remaining |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 December 2026 | Day of Reconciliation 2026 ★ | Wednesday | 44 days |
| 26 December 2026 | Day of Goodwill 2026 ★ | Saturday | 54 days |
◉ Today ◎ Next ○ Past
South Africa has 12 public holidays, set by the Public Holidays Act 36 of 1994. When a holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday also becomes a public holiday, as the South African Government explains. Holidays that fall on a Saturday are not moved.
In 2026, only National Women’s Day moves, from Sunday 9 August to Monday 10 August. Human Rights Day (21 March) and the Day of Goodwill (26 December) land on Saturdays, so no weekday is added. That leaves ten weekdays off work in 2026: nine holidays that fall on weekdays, plus the extra Monday.
Free Printable 2026 Calendar for South Africa (PDF and JPG)
Choose the version you need below. PDF files suit printing at home or in the office, while JPG files suit phone wallpapers and chat sharing.
- 2026 calendar South Africa: PDF | JPG
- Calendar 2026 with holidays: PDF | JPG
- South African calendar 2026: PDF | JPG
- 2026 calendar with public holidays: PDF | JPG
- 2027 calendar South Africa: PDF | JPG
- 2026 and 2027 calendar South Africa: PDF | JPG
South Africa Public Holidays 2026 Explained, Holiday by Holiday
Each entry below gives the date, the weekday and what it means for your calendar.
South Africa Public Holidays 2026 From January to April
New Year’s Day: Thursday 1 January 2026. The year opens with a Thursday holiday. Friday 2 January is a normal working day, so many people take one leave day and enjoy a four-day weekend from Thursday to Sunday.
Human Rights Day: Saturday 21 March 2026. This day remembers the Sharpeville shootings of 21 March 1960 and honours the Bill of Rights in the Constitution. Because 21 March falls on a Saturday in 2026, no replacement weekday is granted.
Good Friday: Friday 3 April 2026. Good Friday follows the Easter calculation, so its date changes every year. Easter Sunday is 5 April 2026, which makes Good Friday the first day of the four-day Easter weekend.
Family Day: Monday 6 April 2026. Family Day is the Monday after Easter Sunday, so it moves with Easter. It completes the long Easter weekend that runs from Friday 3 April to Monday 6 April.
Freedom Day: Monday 27 April 2026. Freedom Day commemorates the first democratic elections, held on 27 April 1994. The Monday date creates a three-day weekend that starts on Saturday 25 April.
South Africa Public Holidays 2026 From May to August
Workers’ Day: Friday 1 May 2026. Workers’ Day celebrates workers and the labour movement. It falls on a Friday, so you get a three-day weekend. It also sits just four days after Freedom Day, which opens a rare bridging opportunity explained further down.
Youth Day: Tuesday 16 June 2026. Youth Day recalls the Soweto uprising of 16 June 1976. A Tuesday holiday invites a bridge day: take Monday 15 June off and you enjoy four days in a row from Saturday 13 June.
National Women’s Day: Sunday 9 August 2026, observed Monday 10 August. The day marks the 1956 women’s march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Since 9 August is a Sunday, Monday 10 August becomes the public holiday, as the Public Holidays Act requires.
South Africa Public Holidays 2026 From September to December
Heritage Day: Thursday 24 September 2026. Heritage Day celebrates the country’s diverse cultures and is widely known as a braai day. Friday 25 September is a working day, so one leave day turns it into a four-day weekend.
Day of Reconciliation: Wednesday 16 December 2026. The government states that 16 December kept its holiday status to foster reconciliation and national unity. A midweek date means two leave days can stretch the break to five days.
Christmas Day: Friday 25 December 2026. Christmas Day lands on a Friday and starts a three-day weekend. Expect busy roads, full coastal accommodation and shorter shop hours around this date.
Day of Goodwill: Saturday 26 December 2026. The Day of Goodwill falls on a Saturday, so there is no extra Monday off. The year therefore closes with an ordinary weekend after Christmas.
Plan Leave Around South Africa Public Holidays 2026
Five long weekends need no leave at all in 2026, and four bridge opportunities stretch the calendar further. Use this table to plan leave, trips and family time.
| Long weekend | Dates | Days off in a row | Leave days needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year bridge | Thu 1 – Sun 4 January | 4 | 1 (Fri 2 January) |
| Easter weekend | Fri 3 – Mon 6 April | 4 | 0 |
| Freedom Day | Sat 25 – Mon 27 April | 3 | 0 |
| Workers’ Day | Fri 1 – Sun 3 May | 3 | 0 |
| Freedom Day to Workers’ Day | Sat 25 April – Sun 3 May | 9 | 3 (Tue 28 – Thu 30 April) |
| Youth Day bridge | Sat 13 – Tue 16 June | 4 | 1 (Mon 15 June) |
| Women’s Day | Sat 8 – Mon 10 August | 3 | 0 |
| Heritage Day bridge | Thu 24 – Sun 27 September | 4 | 1 (Fri 25 September) |
| Day of Reconciliation bridge | Wed 16 – Sun 20 December | 5 | 2 (Thu 17 – Fri 18 December) |
| Christmas weekend | Fri 25 – Sun 27 December | 3 | 0 |
The best value of the year is the late April stretch: three leave days give you nine days off in a row. Long weekends push up fares and accommodation prices, so book early. Check your employer’s leave policy too, because some businesses close for a fixed shutdown instead.
Bridge days work best when a holiday lands on a Tuesday or Thursday. Youth Day (Tuesday), Heritage Day (Thursday) and New Year’s Day (Thursday) fit that pattern. The Day of Reconciliation falls on a Wednesday, so it needs two leave days. Five of the nine opportunities fall before July, so request that leave early.
South Africa Public Holidays 2027: What Changes
The 2027 dates shift by one or two weekdays. Easter Sunday falls on 28 March 2027, so Good Friday is Friday 26 March and Family Day is Monday 29 March. Human Rights Day falls on Sunday 21 March, so Monday 22 March is the observed public holiday. The Day of Goodwill falls on Sunday 26 December, so Monday 27 December is observed.
Workers’ Day (Saturday 1 May) and Christmas Day (Saturday 25 December) land on Saturdays and are not moved. New Year’s Day falls on a Friday, Freedom Day on a Tuesday, Youth Day on a Wednesday and the Day of Reconciliation on a Thursday. Women’s Day on Monday 9 August and Heritage Day on Friday 24 September both create long weekends.
| Date | Holiday | Day | Days Remaining |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | New Year's Day 2027 ★ | Friday | 60 days |
| 21 March 2027 | Human Rights Day 2027 ★ | Sunday | 139 days |
| 22 March 2027 | Human Rights Day (Observed) 2027 ★ | Monday | 140 days |
| 26 March 2027 | Good Friday 2027 ★ | Friday | 144 days |
| 29 March 2027 | Family Day 2027 ★ | Monday | 147 days |
| 29 March 2027 | Easter Monday 2027 ★ | Monday | 147 days |
| 27 April 2027 | Freedom Day 2027 ★ | Tuesday | 176 days |
| 1 May 2027 | Workers' Day 2027 ★ | Saturday | 180 days |
| 16 June 2027 | Youth Day 2027 ★ | Wednesday | 226 days |
| 9 August 2027 | National Women's Day 2027 ★ | Monday | 280 days |
| 24 September 2027 | Heritage Day 2027 ★ | Friday | 326 days |
| 16 December 2027 | Day of Reconciliation 2027 ★ | Thursday | 409 days |
| 26 December 2027 | Day of Goodwill 2027 ★ | Sunday | 419 days |
| 27 December 2027 | Day of Goodwill (Observed) 2027 ★ | Monday | 420 days |
◉ Today ◎ Next ○ Past
For printable files and month-by-month dates, open the full 2027 calendar South Africa page.
Religious and Cultural Observances That Are Not Public Holidays
Ramadan, Eid, Diwali and Rosh Hashanah are not among the 12 public holidays in the Act. Many employers and schools still make allowances for them, so check your workplace policy before you schedule key meetings. Treat these dates as flexible when you plan around South Africa public holidays 2026, because colleagues and customers who observe them may be unavailable.
Ramadan 2026 began in mid-February, and Eid al-Fitr followed around 20 March, but exact dates depend on local moon sighting. The Islamic calendar is lunar, so these observances move roughly eleven days earlier each year on the Gregorian calendar.
Week Numbers and Date Facts for 2026
Weeks in year 53ISO week numbering counts weeks from Monday, and week 1 is the week that contains the first Thursday of the year. In 2026, week 1 starts on Monday 29 December 2025, and week 53 ends on Sunday 3 January 2027. Payroll, logistics and project teams often quote week numbers instead of dates.
Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa Public Holidays 2026
Q: How many public holidays does South Africa have in 2026?
A: South Africa has 12 public holidays in 2026, plus Monday 10 August as an extra day off because Women’s Day falls on a Sunday. That gives ten weekdays off work.
Q: What are the South Africa public holidays in 2026?
A: They are New Year’s Day (1 January), Human Rights Day (21 March), Good Friday (3 April), Family Day (6 April), Freedom Day (27 April), Workers’ Day (1 May), Youth Day (16 June), National Women’s Day (9 August, observed 10 August), Heritage Day (24 September), Day of Reconciliation (16 December), Christmas Day (25 December) and Day of Goodwill (26 December). Good Friday and Family Day move with Easter every year.
Q: Which public holidays fall on a weekend in 2026?
A: Human Rights Day (Saturday 21 March), National Women’s Day (Sunday 9 August) and the Day of Goodwill (Saturday 26 December) fall on weekends. Only the Sunday holiday moves to the following Monday.
Q: What is the next public holiday in South Africa?
A: Next holiday: Day of Reconciliation - 16 December 2026 (44 days) The countdown reads today’s date, so the answer stays current.
Q: When are the South Africa public holidays in 2027?
A: South Africa has 12 public holidays in 2027, starting with New Year’s Day on Friday 1 January. Two Sunday holidays move to Monday: Human Rights Day (22 March) and the Day of Goodwill (27 December).
Q: Is Easter Monday a public holiday in South Africa?
A: Yes, but it is called Family Day. It falls on the Monday after Easter Sunday: 6 April 2026 and 29 March 2027.
Q: Are Ramadan and Eid public holidays in South Africa?
A: No. Neither appears among the 12 holidays in the Public Holidays Act, although many workplaces accommodate them. Ask your employer about time off.
Q: How many weeks are there in 2026?
A: 2026 has 53 ISO weeks. Week 1 starts on Monday 29 December 2025.
Explore the 2026 Calendar Month by Month
Bookmark this page whenever you plan leave: it covers South Africa public holidays 2026 and 2027 in one place. Browse every South Africa calendar on Calendarena, from monthly pages to printable yearly files.
Chokri Hamouda runs Calendarena.com. He makes simple, printable calendar templates. His goal is to help people organize their time better. He updates the site with monthly and yearly calendars for users worldwide. Chokri focuses on making calendars that are easy to read and use. He also researches holidays and date systems to keep everything accurate.