Public Holidays in South Africa — 2026
There are 12 public holidays in South Africa in 2026 — a middle-of-the-road calendar by international standards.
2 of them land on the Saturday + Sunday weekend, which leaves 10 genuine days off work.
The dates are spread fairly evenly — 7 before July and 5 after it — with April the busiest month.
The longest dry spell runs 83 days, from Thursday, September 24, 2026 to Wednesday, December 16, 2026; that is the stretch worth spending annual leave on.
6 holiday(s) sit next to the weekend, and 3 single bridge day(s) could turn into a four-day break.
South Africa sits in Southern Africa, is run from Pretoria, pays in Rand, and has about 59.3M people planning around these same dates.
- Public holidays
- 12
- Days off work
- 10
- Weekend
- Saturday + Sunday
- Busiest month
- April (3)
- Longest gap
- 83 days
- Capital
- Pretoria
| Date | Day | Holiday | Local name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Jan 1 | Thursday | New Year's Day | |
| Sat, Mar 21 | Saturday | Human Rights Day | |
| Fri, Apr 3 | Friday | Good Friday | |
| Mon, Apr 6 | Monday | Family Day | |
| Mon, Apr 27 | Monday | Freedom Day | |
| Fri, May 1 | Friday | Workers' Day | |
| Tue, Jun 16 | Tuesday | Youth Day | |
| Mon, Aug 10 | Monday | National Women's Day | |
| Thu, Sep 24 | Thursday | Heritage Day | |
| Wed, Dec 16 | Wednesday | Day of Reconciliation | |
| Fri, Dec 25 | Friday | Christmas Day | |
| Sat, Dec 26 | Saturday | Day of Goodwill | St. Stephen's Day |
How many public holidays does South Africa have in 2026?
12 — of which 10 fall on a working day and 2 fall on the Saturday + Sunday weekend.
What is the first public holiday in South Africa in 2026?
New Year's Day on Thursday, January 1, 2026. The last one of the year is St. Stephen's Day on Saturday, December 26, 2026.
Which days are the weekend in South Africa?
Saturday + Sunday. Working-day counts on this site use that pattern, not a fixed Saturday–Sunday assumption.
When is the longest period without a public holiday in South Africa in 2026?
Between Thursday, September 24, 2026 and Wednesday, December 16, 2026 — 83 days with nothing official in between.
Are these 2026 dates confirmed?
Yes, all 12 dates come from the official calendar (source: Nager.Date public holiday API) and none are moon-sighting estimates.