Public holidays in South Africa, 2027
South Africa has 14 public holidays in 2027. 10 fall on a working day and 4 on a weekend — which is the number that decides how many days off you actually get.
14 of 14 holidays
- 01 01 New Year's Day Friday
- 21 03 Human Rights Day Sunday · falls on a weekend
- 22 03 Public Holiday Monday
- 26 03 Good Friday Friday
- 29 03 Family Day Monday
- 27 04 Freedom Day Tuesday
- 01 05 Workers' Day Saturday · falls on a weekend
- 16 06 Youth Day Wednesday
- 09 08 National Women's Day Monday
- 24 09 Heritage Day Friday
- 16 12 Day of Reconciliation Thursday
- 25 12 Christmas Day Saturday · falls on a weekend
- 26 12 Day of Goodwill Sunday · falls on a weekend
- 27 12 Public Holiday Monday
2027 at a glance
Every day of the year. Filled squares are public holidays; the pale ones are weekends. A holiday touching a weekend is a long one.
Holidays you have, and days off you get
These are the two different questions this page answers. A country can have a long list of public holidays and still give you fewer days away from work than a neighbour with a shorter list, purely because of which weekday they fall on. Only some countries substitute a weekday when a holiday lands on a weekend; where they do not, the holiday simply passes.
FAQ
How many public holidays does South Africa have in 2027?
14, of which 10 fall on a working day and 4 on a weekend.
Why does it matter which fall on a weekend?
Because a holiday on a Saturday is a holiday you do not get. 4 of South Africa's land on one, and most countries do not move them.