Public holidays in South Africa

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A list of current public holidays in South Africa:[1]

In gold, the National Day
Date Name Instituted Comments
1 January New Year's Day 1910
21 March Human Rights Day 1990[2] Commemorates the Sharpeville massacre of 1960.[3]
The Friday before Easter Sunday Good Friday 1910
The Monday following Easter Sunday Family Day 1980
27 April Freedom Day 1995[2] First democratic election held (in 1994)
1 May Workers' Day 1995[4]
16 June Youth Day 1995[5] Commemorates the Soweto uprising led by secondary school students in 1976.[3]
9 August National Women's Day 1995[6] Commemorates the 1956 march of approximately 20,000 women to petition against pass laws.[3]
24 September Heritage Day 1995[7] Recognises aspects of South African culture which are both tangible and difficult to pin down: creative expression, the historical inheritance, language, the food, and the land people live on.[3]
16 December Day of Reconciliation 1995 Honors both the Black and White soldiers who died in the Battle of Blood River in 1838.[3]
25 December Christmas Day 1910
26 December Day of Goodwill 1910 Formerly Boxing Day.

The Public Holidays Act (Act No 36 of 1994)[8] states that whenever a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the Monday following it will be a public holiday.[1]

  1. ^ a b "NO. 36 OF 1994: PUBLIC HOLIDAYS ACT, 1994". Government Communications (GCIS). 28 March 2008. Archived from the original on 21 August 2008. Retrieved 29 March 2008.
  2. ^ a b "Government Website: Public Holidays Archive". www.gov.za. Archived from the original on 15 September 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Public holidays in South Africa | South African Government". gov.za. South African Government. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  4. ^ "First celebration of May Day in South Africa". South African History Online. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  5. ^ "Speech by President Nelson Mandela on South Africa Youth Day Ladysmith, 16 June 1995". South African History Online. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  6. ^ "South Africa celebrates the first National Women's Day". South African History Online. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  7. ^ "First celebration of National Heritage Day". South African History Online. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  8. ^ "OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT: NO. 36 OF 1994: PUBLIC HOLIDAYS ACT, 1994" (PDF). info.gov.za. 7 December 1994. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 August 2006. Retrieved 16 November 2012.