Public holidays in South Africa, 2025
South Africa has 13 public holidays in 2025. 2 fall on a weekend, so 11 land on a working day.
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Wednesday | New Year's Day |
| 21 March | Friday | Human Rights Day |
| 18 April | Friday | Good Friday |
| 21 April | Monday | Family Day |
| 27 April | Sundayweekend | Freedom Day |
| 28 April | Monday | Public Holiday |
| 1 May | Thursday | Workers' Day |
| 16 June | Monday | Youth Day |
| 9 August | Saturdayweekend | National Women's Day |
| 24 September | Wednesday | Heritage Day |
| 16 December | Tuesday | Day of Reconciliation |
| 25 December | Thursday | Christmas Day |
| 26 December | Friday | Day of Goodwill |
Why the weekend count matters
A country's holiday total is the number people quote, but it is not the number they feel. A public holiday that lands on a Saturday is a day off you already had. In 2025, South Africa's 13 holidays give 11 actual days away from work , because 2 of them fall at the weekend. Some countries move a weekend holiday to the following Monday and some do not; where that happens the dataset records the day the holiday is observed.
Public holiday data from the date-holidays project, CC-BY-3.0. National public holidays only; regional days and observances that are not days off are excluded.
FAQ
How many public holidays does South Africa have in 2025?
13, of which 11 fall on a working day and 2 on a weekend.
Which public holidays in South Africa fall on a weekend in 2025?
Freedom Day (27 April, Sunday), National Women's Day (9 August, Saturday).
Are regional holidays included?
No. This lists national public holidays only. Regional days, bank holidays that vary by state or canton, and observances that are not days off are excluded.