South Africa Public Holidays 2027 & Long Weekends

Next holiday: Day of Reconciliation - 16 December 2026 (62 days)
Next event: Global Handwashing Day - 15 October 2026 (0 days)

South Africa Public Holidays 2027: Dates, Days and Long Weekends

South Africa public holidays 2027 total 12 official days, plus two extra Mondays off on 22 March and 27 December. This guide lists every date and weekday, the best long weekends and a free printable calendar.

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 2027, two holidays land on a Sunday: Human Rights Day (21 March) and the Day of Goodwill (26 December). Both move to the following Monday. Workers’ Day (1 May) and Christmas Day (25 December) fall on Saturdays, so no weekday is added. That leaves ten weekdays off work in 2027.

Free Printable 2027 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.

• 2027 calendar South Africa: PDF | JPG
• 2026 and 2027 calendar South Africa: PDF | JPG

South Africa Public Holidays 2027 Explained, Holiday by Holiday

Each entry below gives the date, the weekday and what it means for your calendar.

South Africa Public Holidays 2027 From January to April

New Year’s Day: Friday 1 January 2027. The year opens with a Friday holiday, which gives a three-day weekend from Friday to Sunday without using any leave.

Human Rights Day: Sunday 21 March 2027, observed Monday 22 March. This day remembers the Sharpeville shootings of 21 March 1960 and honours the Bill of Rights in the Constitution. Because 21 March is a Sunday, Monday 22 March becomes the public holiday.

Good Friday: Friday 26 March 2027. Good Friday follows the Easter calculation, so its date changes every year. Easter Sunday is 28 March 2027, an early date that pulls the whole Easter weekend into March.

Family Day: Monday 29 March 2027. Family Day is the Monday after Easter Sunday, so it moves with Easter. It completes the four-day Easter weekend from Friday 26 March to Monday 29 March.

Freedom Day: Tuesday 27 April 2027. Freedom Day commemorates the first democratic elections, held on 27 April 1994. A Tuesday date invites a bridge day: take Monday 26 April off and you enjoy four days in a row from Saturday 24 April.

South Africa Public Holidays 2027 From May to August

Workers’ Day: Saturday 1 May 2027. Workers’ Day celebrates workers and the labour movement. It falls on a Saturday, so no replacement weekday is granted and there is no long weekend this year.

Youth Day: Wednesday 16 June 2027. Youth Day recalls the Soweto uprising of 16 June 1976. A midweek date means two leave days can stretch the break to five days, either before the holiday or after it.

National Women’s Day: Monday 9 August 2027. The day marks the 1956 women’s march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria. It falls on a Monday in 2027, which creates a three-day weekend from Saturday 7 August without any leave.

South Africa Public Holidays 2027 From September to December

Heritage Day: Friday 24 September 2027. Heritage Day celebrates the country’s diverse cultures and is widely known as a braai day. The Friday date gives a three-day weekend with no leave needed, which suits a trip or a family gathering.

Day of Reconciliation: Thursday 16 December 2027. The government states that 16 December kept its holiday status to foster reconciliation and national unity. Friday 17 December is a working day, so one leave day creates a four-day weekend.

Christmas Day: Saturday 25 December 2027. Christmas Day lands on a Saturday, so no replacement weekday is added on its own. Expect busy roads, full coastal accommodation and shorter shop hours around this date.

Day of Goodwill: Sunday 26 December 2027, observed Monday 27 December. The Day of Goodwill falls on a Sunday, so Monday 27 December becomes the public holiday. Together with Christmas Day, it creates a three-day weekend from Saturday 25 December.

Plan Leave Around South Africa Public Holidays 2027

Six long weekends need no leave at all in 2027, and three 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 weekend	Fri 1 – Sun 3 January	3	0
Human Rights Day	Sat 20 – Mon 22 March	3	0
Easter weekend	Fri 26 – Mon 29 March	4	0
Human Rights Day to Easter	Sat 20 – Mon 29 March	10	3 (Tue 23 – Thu 25 March)
Freedom Day bridge	Sat 24 – Tue 27 April	4	1 (Mon 26 April)
Youth Day bridge	Sat 12 – Wed 16 June	5	2 (Mon 14 – Tue 15 June)
Women’s Day	Sat 7 – Mon 9 August	3	0
Heritage Day	Fri 24 – Sun 26 September	3	0
Day of Reconciliation bridge	Thu 16 – Sun 19 December	4	1 (Fri 17 December)
Christmas weekend	Sat 25 – Mon 27 December	3	0
Reconciliation to Goodwill	Thu 16 – Mon 27 December	12	6 (Fri 17 and Mon 20 – Fri 24 December)

The best value of the year is the March stretch: three leave days give you ten days off in a row, because Human Rights Day and Easter sit only a few days apart. The festive season offers a second chance, with six leave days producing twelve days off. 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. Freedom Day (Tuesday) and the Day of Reconciliation (Thursday) fit that pattern. Youth Day 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 Compared With 2026

The 2027 dates shift by one weekday against the previous year. In 2026, only National Women’s Day moved to a Monday. In 2027, two holidays move, and Easter arrives about a week earlier, on 28 March instead of 5 April.

Heritage Day moves from a Thursday to a Friday, while Women’s Day moves from a Sunday to a Monday. Workers’ Day and Christmas Day both land on Saturdays. For the earlier year, open the 2026 calendar South Africa page, which keeps the 2026 dates and printable files.

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 2027, because colleagues and customers who observe them may be unavailable.

Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin in early February, and Eid al-Fitr should follow around early 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 2027

Weeks in year 52

ISO week numbering counts weeks from Monday, and week 1 is the week that contains the first Thursday of the year. In 2027, week 1 starts on Monday 4 January, so New Year’s Day still belongs to week 53 of 2026. Week 52 ends on Sunday 2 January 2028. Payroll, logistics and project teams often quote week numbers instead of dates.

Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa Public Holidays 2027

Q: How many public holidays does South Africa have in 2027?
A: South Africa has 12 public holidays in 2027, plus two observed Mondays: 22 March and 27 December. That gives ten weekdays off work.

Q: What are the South Africa public holidays in 2027?
A: They are New Year’s Day (1 January), Human Rights Day (21 March, observed 22 March), Good Friday (26 March), Family Day (29 March), Freedom Day (27 April), Workers’ Day (1 May), Youth Day (16 June), National Women’s Day (9 August), Heritage Day (24 September), Day of Reconciliation (16 December), Christmas Day (25 December) and Day of Goodwill (26 December, observed 27 December). Good Friday and Family Day move with Easter every year.

Q: Which public holidays fall on a weekend in 2027?
A: Human Rights Day (Sunday 21 March), Workers’ Day (Saturday 1 May), Christmas Day (Saturday 25 December) and the Day of Goodwill (Sunday 26 December) fall on weekends. Only the two Sunday holidays move to the following Monday.

Q: What is the next public holiday in South Africa?
A: Next holiday: Day of Reconciliation - 16 December 2026 (62 days) The countdown reads today’s date, so the answer stays current.

Q: When is Easter in South Africa in 2027?
A: Easter Sunday is 28 March 2027. Good Friday is 26 March and Family Day, the Easter Monday holiday, is 29 March.

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: 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 2027?
A: 2027 has 52 ISO weeks. Week 1 starts on Monday 4 January 2027.

Explore the 2027 Calendar Month by Month

Bookmark this page whenever you plan leave: it covers South Africa public holidays 2027 in one place. Browse every South Africa calendar on Calendarena, from monthly pages to printable yearly files.