BAD public holiday news for South Africans in 2027

Under the Public Holidays Act 36 of 1994, South Africa has 12 official public holidays each year. However, the actual number of days off depends on which day of the week the holiday falls on.

If a public holiday occurs on a weekday (Monday to Friday), employees receive the day off.

If it falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed as a public holiday.

But when a holiday falls on a Saturday, workers who normally do not work that day do not receive an additional day off, meaning the holiday is effectively ‘lost’.

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‘Lost’

In 2026, South Africans will have a total of 11 weekdays off work.

Of the 12 official holidays, two fell – or will fall – on Saturdays and be ‘lost’

• Human Rights Day – 21 March 2026
• Day of Goodwill – 26 December 2026

However, there was some additional good public holiday news when Local Government Election day on Wednesday, 4 November was declared a public holiday, bringing the final total to 11.

South African Public Holidays in 2026

• 1 January (Thursday) – New Year’s Day
• 21 March (Saturday) – Human Rights Day (lost)
• 3 April (Friday) – Good Friday
• 6 April (Monday) – Family Day
• 27 April (Monday) – Freedom Day
• 1 May (Friday) – Workers’ Day
• 16 June (Tuesday) – Youth Day
• 9 August (Sunday) – National Women’s Day (not a weekday)
• 10 August (Monday) – Public holiday observed for National Women’s Day
• 24 September (Thursday) – Heritage Day
• 4 November (Wednesday) – Voting day
• 16 December (Wednesday) – Day of Reconciliation
• 25 December (Friday) – Christmas Day
• 26 December (Saturday) – Day of Goodwill (lost)

Worse news

However, the news for 2027 is worse.

There will only be 10 weekdays off work, with another two public holidays falling on a Saturday and therefore ‘lost’:

• Workers Day – 1 May 2027
• Christmas Day – 25 December 2026

There is also no election day public holiday scheduled for 2027.

South African Public Holidays in 2027

• 1 January (Friday) – New Year’s Day
• 21 March (Sunday) – Human Rights Day (not a weekday)
• 22 March (Monday) – Public holiday observed for Human Rights Day
• 26 March (Friday) – Good Friday
• 29 March (Monday) – Family Day
• 27 April (Tuesday) – Freedom Day
• 1 May (Saturday) – Workers’ Day (lost)
• 16 June (Wednesday) – Youth Day
• 9 August (Monday) – National Women’s Day
• 24 September (Friday) – Heritage Day
• 16 December (Thursday) – Day of Reconciliation
• 25 December (Saturday) – Christmas Day (lost)
• 26 December (Sunday) – Day of Goodwill (not a weekday)
• 27 December (Monday) – Public holiday observed for Day of Goodwill