South African Public Holidays for 2023 (and 2024, 2025, 2026)
A public holiday (also known as a national holiday or legal holiday) is a holiday usually established by law as a non-working day during the year.
South Africa has 12 public holidays each year, determined by the Public Holidays Act (Act No 36 of 1994), which came into effect on 1 January 1995.
The Act states that if a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be declared a public holiday. The Act also states that public holidays are paid holidays.
Many of South Africa’s public holidays are rooted in the countries history, while others are religious holidays.
South Africa’s history-related public holidays
- Human Rights Day on 21 March, which was instituted in 1990 to commemorate the Sharpeville massacre of 1960.
- Freedom Day on 27 April, which was instituted in 1994 to commemorate Nelson Mandela becoming South Africa’s first Black president.
- Youth Day on 16 June, which was instituted in 1995 to commemorate the Soweto uprising led by secondary school students in 1976.
- National Women’s Day on 9 August, which was instituted in 1995 to commemorate the march of approximately 20,000 women to petition against pass laws in 1956.
- Heritage Day on 24 September, which was instituted in 1995 to commemorate various aspects of South African culture, including creative expression, the historical inheritance, language, the food, and the land people live on.
- Day of Reconciliation on 16 December, which was instituted in 1995 to Honors Black and White soldiers who died in the Battle of Blood River in 1838.
2023 Public Holidays
- 1 January 2023 (Sunday): New Year’s Day
- 2 January 2023 (Monday): Public holiday New Year’s Day observed (per the Act above – if a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will automatically become a public holiday)
- 21 March 2023 (Tuesday): Human Rights Day
- 7 April 2023 (Friday): Good Friday (Good Friday and Easter Sunday dates differ each year based on the ecclesiastical moon. These dates occur between late March and late April each year)
- 10 April 2023 (Monday): Family Day
- 27 April 2023 (Thursday): Freedom Day
- 1 May 2023 (Monday): Workers’ Day
- 16 June 2023 (Friday): Youth Day
- 9 August 2023 (Wednesday): National Women’s Day
- 24 September 2023 (Sunday): Heritage Day
- 25 September 2023 (Monday): Public holiday Heritage Day observed (per the Act above – if a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will automatically become a public holiday)
- 15 December (Friday): this day was declared a public holiday after the Springboks’ won the Rugby World Cup in 2023
- 16 December 2023 (Saturday): Day of Reconciliation
- 25 December 2023 (Monday): Christmas Day
- 26 December 2023 (Tuesday): Day of Goodwill
2024 Public Holidays
- 1 January 2024 (Monday): New Year’s Day
- 21 March 2024 (Thursday): Human Rights Day
- 29 March 2024 (Friday): Good Friday (Good Friday and Easter Sunday dates differ each year based on the ecclesiastical moon. These dates occur between late March and late April each year)
- 1 April 2024 (Monday): Family Day
- 27 April 2024 (Saturday): Freedom Day
- 1 May 2024 (Wednesday): Workers’ Day
- 16 June 2024 (Sunday): Youth Day
- 17 June 2024 (Monday): Public holiday Youth Day observed (per the Act above – if a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will automatically become a public holiday)
- 9 August 2024 (Friday): National Women’s Day
- 24 September 2024 (Tuesday): Heritage Day
- 16 December 2024 (Monday): Day of Reconciliation
- 25 December 2024 (Wednesday): Christmas Day
- 26 December 2024 (Thursday): Day of Goodwill
2025 Public Holidays
- 1 January 2025 (Wednesday): New Year’s Day
- 21 March 2025 (Friday): Human Rights Day
- 18 April 2025 (Friday): Good Friday (Good Friday and Easter Sunday dates differ each year based on the ecclesiastical moon. These dates occur between late March and late April each year)
- 21 April 2025 (Monday): Family Day
- 27 April 2025 (Sunday): Freedom Day
- 28 April 2025 (Monday): Public holiday Freedom Day observed (per the Act above – if a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will automatically become a public holiday)
- 1 May 2025 (Thursday): Workers’ Day
- 16 June 2025 (Monday): Youth Day
- 9 August 2025 (Saturday): National Women’s Day
- 24 September 2025 (Wednesday): Heritage Day
- 16 December 2025 (Tuesday): Day of Reconciliation
- 25 December 2025 (Thursday): Christmas Day
- 26 December 2025 (Friday): Day of Goodwill
2026 Public Holidays
- 1 January 2026 (Thursday): New Year’s Day
- 21 March 2026 (Saturday): Human Rights Day
- 3 April 2026 (Friday): Good Friday (Good Friday and Easter Sunday dates differ each year based on the ecclesiastical moon. These dates occur between late March and late April each year)
- 6 April 2026 (Monday): Family Day
- 27 April 2026 (Monday): Freedom Day
- 1 May 2026 (Friday): Workers’ Day
- 16 June 2026 (Tuesday): Youth Day
- 9 August 2026 (Sunday): National Women’s Day
- 10 August 2026 (Monday): Public holiday National Women’s Day observed (per the Act above – if a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will automatically become a public holiday)
- 24 September 2026 (Thursday): Heritage Day
- 16 December 2026 (Wednesday): Day of Reconciliation
- 25 December 2026 (Friday): Christmas Day
- 26 December 2026 (Saturday): Day of Goodwill