Public holidays in South Africa in 2027
Official public holidays for every country where TIMEOFF.GURU is used, checked against the law. With days off in lieu, long weekends and the days worth taking as leave.
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All dates follow from the law or an act already published.
- 12 public holidays
- 10 days off on weekdays
- 4 holidays on a weekend
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Friday | New Year's Day |
| 21 March | Sunday | Human Rights Day |
| 22 March | Monday | Day off in lieu of Human Rights DayDay in lieu21 March falls on a Sunday, so the following Monday is a public holiday (Public Holidays Act, s. 2(1)). |
| 26 March | Friday | Good Friday |
| 29 March | Monday | Family Day (Easter Monday) |
| 27 April | Tuesday | Freedom Day |
| 1 May | Saturday | Workers' Day |
| 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 |
| 26 December | Sunday | Day of Goodwill |
| 27 December | Monday | Day off in lieu of the Day of GoodwillDay in lieu26 December falls on a Sunday, so the following Monday is a public holiday (Public Holidays Act, s. 2(1)). |
What is fixed and what may change
All dates follow from the Public Holidays Act 36 of 1994. Good Friday and Family Day depend on Easter, which is on 28 March in 2027.
When a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is a public holiday. In 2027 this gives 22 March and 27 December. Holidays on a Saturday are not moved. The government website lists 22 March but not yet 27 December; both follow from the same rule.
An employer and an employee may agree to exchange a public holiday for another day (section 2(2)).
The President may declare extra one-off public holidays, as was done for the local government elections on 4 November 2026. We found no such declaration for 2027 when we last checked.
Sources
We check every date against the law, but laws and government decisions change. For payroll and contracts, confirm with the official source.