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🇿🇦 South Africa Public Holidays 2026

South Africa has 12 nationwide public holidays in 2026 — 9 on a weekday and 3 at a weekend. 5 of them fall on a Friday or a Monday, so the weekend beside them runs to three days without using any leave. The full calendar is below, with the date, the weekday and the local name for every holiday, followed by a month-by-month guide to what closes.

Planning around South Africa's holidays

On public holidays, banks, government offices and many businesses in South Africa close, and transport may run on reduced schedules. For remote workers, holidays are a good time to explore — but a poor time to rely on local services or official appointments. Check the dates above before booking visa appointments or important meetings.

South Africa nomad & visa guide →

Public holidays in other countries

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Is today a public holiday in South Africa?

Checked on Wednesday 5 August 2026: no, that day is not a public holiday in South Africa. The next public holiday in South Africa after that date is National Women's Day (day off Mon 10 Aug) on Sunday 9 August 2026 — 4 days later. The day after, Thursday 6 August, is not a public holiday either.

The answer above is rechecked against the published South Africa holiday dates every time this page loads, so what it says about today and tomorrow stays current.

The next public holidays in South Africa after 5 August 2026:

  • National Women's Day (day off Mon 10 Aug) — Sunday 9 August 2026
  • Heritage Day — Thursday 24 September 2026
  • Day of Reconciliation — Wednesday 16 December 2026
  • Christmas Day — Friday 25 December 2026
  • Day of Goodwill — Saturday 26 December 2026

South Africa public holidays are also called SA public holidays, South Africa national holidays or the South Africa holiday calendar. This page is the South Africa holiday calendar for 2026, with the 2027 dates below.

🇿🇦 South Africa's public holidays in 2026 at a glance

South Africa has 12 nationwide public holidays in 2026. That puts South Africa joint 55th out of the 100 countries we track, level with 13 others. The median across those 100 is 13, so this is a short list. 9 fall on a weekday and 3 on a Saturday or Sunday. The year opens with New Year's Day on 1 January and closes with Day of Goodwill on 26 December. April is the busiest month with 3. Nothing at all falls in February, July, October or November. One substitute day off — the weekday granted when a holiday lands at a weekend — is shown in brackets beside the holiday it replaces, so that day is not counted twice. This list covers holidays observed across the whole country. Many countries add regional or state holidays on top, and whether a given day is paid depends on your employer, so check locally before you book around it.

South Africa public holidays in January 2026

New Year's Day on 1 January.

South Africa public holidays in February 2026

There are no public holidays in South Africa in February 2026.

South Africa public holidays in March 2026

Human Rights Day on 21 March.

South Africa public holidays in April 2026

Good Friday on 3 April, Family Day on 6 April and Freedom Day on 27 April.

South Africa public holidays in May 2026

Workers' Day on 1 May.

South Africa public holidays in June 2026

Youth Day on 16 June.

South Africa public holidays in July 2026

There are no public holidays in South Africa in July 2026.

South Africa public holidays in August 2026

National Women's Day (day off Mon 10 Aug) on 9 August.

South Africa public holidays in September 2026

Heritage Day on 24 September.

South Africa public holidays in October 2026

There are no public holidays in South Africa in October 2026.

South Africa public holidays in November 2026

There are no public holidays in South Africa in November 2026.

South Africa public holidays in December 2026

Day of Reconciliation on 16 December, Christmas Day on 25 December and Day of Goodwill on 26 December.

Long weekends and bridge days in South Africa in 2026

On 5 occasions in 2026 a South Africa holiday lands on a Friday or a Monday, which turns the adjoining weekend into a three-day break with no leave used at all. Another 3 fall exactly one day away from the weekend, so a single day of leave buys four days off.

Every South Africa public holiday in 2026

Show the full 2026 calendar as a table
Public holidays in South Africa in 2026
DateDayHolidayLocal name
1 JanuaryThursdayNew Year's DayNew Year's Day
21 MarchSaturdayHuman Rights DayHuman Rights Day
3 AprilFridayGood FridayGood Friday
6 AprilMondayFamily DayFamily Day
27 AprilMondayFreedom DayFreedom Day
1 MayFridayWorkers' DayWorkers' Day
16 JuneTuesdayYouth DayYouth Day
9 AugustSundayNational Women's Day (day off Mon 10 Aug)National Women's Day (day off Mon 10 Aug)
24 SeptemberThursdayHeritage DayHeritage Day
16 DecemberWednesdayDay of ReconciliationDay of Reconciliation
25 DecemberFridayChristmas DayChristmas Day
26 DecemberSaturdayDay of GoodwillDay of Goodwill

South Africa public holidays — common questions

How many public holidays does South Africa have in 2026?

South Africa has 12 nationwide public holidays in 2026, 9 of which fall on a weekday. The count covers days observed across the whole country; regional and state holidays are not included, and whether a day is paid depends on the employer.

When is the first public holiday of 2026 in South Africa?

It is New Year's Day on 1 January, a Thursday. The last is Day of Goodwill on 26 December.

Which South Africa holidays create a long weekend in 2026?

Good Friday (Friday, 3 April), Family Day (Monday, 6 April), Freedom Day (Monday, 27 April), Workers' Day (Friday, 1 May) and Christmas Day and Day of Goodwill (25 December–26 December) fall on a Friday or a Monday, so the weekend beside them runs to three days without using any leave.

Do businesses close on public holidays in South Africa?

Banks, government offices and schools generally close on national public holidays in South Africa, while shops, restaurants and transport often run reduced hours rather than shutting entirely. If you are working remotely from South Africa, expect slower replies from local suppliers and government services on these dates.

South Africa public holidays in 2027

The 12 public holidays already published for South Africa in 2027. Dates that depend on a lunar or religious calendar can still be confirmed late, so check locally before booking against them.

What actually closes on a public holiday in South Africa

The working week in South Africa runs Monday to Friday, with the weekend on Saturday and Sunday. On a nationwide public holiday, banks, government offices, schools and most post offices close for the day.

Supermarkets, shopping malls and tourist attractions usually stay open, often on shorter hours, and public transport typically drops to a reduced, weekend-style timetable. Restaurants and hotels generally carry on as normal.

In 2026, 9 of the 12 public holidays fall on a working day — those are the dates when closures actually affect banks, offices and deliveries. The other 3 land on the weekend, when most of this is closed anyway.

The public holidays listed on this page apply nationwide in South Africa — the national calendar we track has no region-only public holidays.

Which 2026 holidays fall on a weekend — and whether South Africa moves them

3 of South Africa’s 12 public holidays land on the weekend (Saturday and Sunday) in 2026:

South Africa generally grants a replacement day off when a public holiday falls on the weekend — where an official in-lieu date has been announced, it is already included in the calendar above.

South Africa public holidays 2027 — plan ahead

South Africa has 12 public holidays in 2027 — the same as in 2026. 8 fall on a working day. The year opens with New Year's Day on Friday 1 January 2027 and closes with Day of Goodwill (day off Mon 27 Dec) on Sunday 26 December 2027.

DateDayHoliday
1 January 2027FridayNew Year's Day
21 March 2027SundayHuman Rights Day (day off Mon 22 Mar)
26 March 2027FridayGood Friday
29 March 2027MondayFamily Day
27 April 2027TuesdayFreedom Day
1 May 2027SaturdayWorkers' Day
16 June 2027WednesdayYouth Day
9 August 2027MondayNational Women's Day
24 September 2027FridayHeritage Day
16 December 2027ThursdayDay of Reconciliation
25 December 2027SaturdayChristmas Day
26 December 2027SundayDay of Goodwill (day off Mon 27 Dec)

Want this calendar in your own tools? Download it free: CSV · iCal for Google/Apple/Outlook · JSON — or browse the full 100-country dataset. Free under CC BY 4.0.