Public holidays in South Africa 2026 and 2027
South Africa has 14 public holidays in 2027. Every national holiday for 2026 and 2027 is listed below with its date and day of the week.
Public holidays in South Africa 2026
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| Thu, Jan 1, 2026 | New Year's Day |
| Sat, Mar 21, 2026 | Human Rights Day |
| Fri, Apr 3, 2026 | Good Friday |
| Mon, Apr 6, 2026 | Family Day |
| Mon, Apr 27, 2026 | Freedom Day |
| Fri, May 1, 2026 | Workers' Day |
| Tue, Jun 16, 2026 | Youth Day |
| Sun, Aug 9, 2026 | National Women's Day |
| Mon, Aug 10, 2026 | National Women's Day (observed) |
| Thu, Sep 24, 2026 | Heritage Day |
| Wed, Nov 4, 2026 | Local Government Elections |
| Wed, Dec 16, 2026 | Day of Reconciliation |
| Fri, Dec 25, 2026 | Christmas Day |
| Sat, Dec 26, 2026 | Day of Goodwill |
Public holidays in South Africa 2027
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | New Year's Day |
| Sun, Mar 21, 2027 | Human Rights Day |
| Mon, Mar 22, 2027 | Human Rights Day (observed) |
| Fri, Mar 26, 2027 | Good Friday |
| Mon, Mar 29, 2027 | Family Day |
| Tue, Apr 27, 2027 | Freedom Day |
| Sat, May 1, 2027 | Workers' Day |
| Wed, Jun 16, 2027 | Youth Day |
| Mon, Aug 9, 2027 | National Women's Day |
| Fri, Sep 24, 2027 | Heritage Day |
| Thu, Dec 16, 2027 | Day of Reconciliation |
| Sat, Dec 25, 2027 | Christmas Day |
| Sun, Dec 26, 2027 | Day of Goodwill |
| Mon, Dec 27, 2027 | Day of Goodwill (observed) |
Holiday data from the open-source holidays project.
Seasons in South Africa
South Africa is in the Southern Hemisphere, so its seasons are the opposite of North America and Europe: Christmas falls in summer.
| Season | Months (meteorological) | Astronomical start |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | September, October, November | September 23, 2027 (equinox) |
| Summer | December, January, February | December 22, 2027 (solstice) |
| Fall (autumn) | March, April, May | March 20, 2027 (equinox) |
| Winter | June, July, August | June 21, 2027 (solstice) |
See the equinox, summer solstice and winter solstice pages for exact times.
Questions people ask
How many public holidays does South Africa have in 2027?
14 days in 2027 are public holidays in South Africa, counting days that are moved or observed on another date.
What is the next public holiday in South Africa?
The next one is shown at the top of this page and updates every day. The full lists for 2026 and 2027 are below.
Are these holidays the same everywhere in South Africa?
These are the national public holidays. Some states, provinces or regions add their own days, and banks or schools may follow a slightly different list.
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