South African public holidays.

Choose a year

Read the detailed employer guide for practical controls, examples and common questions.

Standard holidays plus Sunday observance. Calendar checked 29 September 2026. The 2027 list includes Monday 27 December under the Sunday-observance rule.

What happens when a holiday falls on Sunday?

The Public Holidays Act provides that the Monday following a public holiday that falls on Sunday is also a public holiday. A Saturday holiday does not automatically create a Monday holiday.

For 2026, National Women’s Day falls on Sunday 9 August, with Monday 10 August observed. In 2027, Human Rights Day and the Day of Goodwill fall on Sundays, making 22 March and 27 December public holidays under that rule.

Count against the employee’s work pattern

A calendar day is not always a working day. For annual leave planning, separate normal non-working days from public holidays that fall on an ordinary workday. Avoid deducting the same date twice.

Keep an eye on additional holidays

Extra public holidays can be proclaimed. This calendar covers the recurring statutory holidays and Sunday observance; it is not a live proclamation feed.

The 4 November 2026 election date has been announced, but this version does not assume a separate holiday proclamation without a verified source. Confirm any special holiday and add it to the calculator’s additional-date field when appropriate.

Official election-date announcement