W World Calendar

South Africa 2025 Public Holidays

13 public holidays

  • Public holiday — A nationwide day off.
January 1 holidays
February
March 1 holidays
April 4 holidays
May 1 holidays
June 1 holidays
July
August 1 holidays
September 1 holidays
October
November
December 3 holidays

2025 Holiday List · South Africa

13 public holidays · regional, limited, and observance days included

Date Day Holiday Type Notes
Jan 1 Wednesday New Year's Day Public holiday 1 January. In many countries the day off moves to the following Monday when it falls on a weekend.
Mar 21 Friday Human Rights Day Public holiday
Apr 18 Friday Good Friday Public holiday The Friday before Easter Sunday.
Apr 21 Monday Family Day Public holiday Varies — the third Monday of February in several Canadian provinces.
Apr 27 Sunday Freedom Day Public holiday
Apr 28 Monday Freedom Daysubstitute day Public holiday
May 1 Thursday Workers' Day Public holiday 1 May in most countries.
Jun 16 Monday Youth Day Public holiday Varies by country.
Aug 9 Saturday National Women's Day Public holiday
Sep 24 Wednesday Heritage Day Public holiday
Dec 16 Tuesday Day of Reconciliation Public holiday
Dec 25 Thursday Christmas Day Public holiday 25 December. The day off moves to the following weekday when it falls on a weekend.
Dec 26 Friday Day of Goodwill Public holiday
Show 28 observances and other marked dates
Date Day Holiday Type Notes
Jan 2 Thursday Tweede Nuwe Jaar Observance
Jan 27 Monday Isra and Mi'raj Observance 27 Rajab.
Feb 21 Friday Armed Forces Day Observance Varies by country.
Feb 26 Wednesday Maha Shivaratri Observance The fourteenth night of the dark fortnight of Phalguna, in February or March.
Mar 2 Sunday Ramadan Start Observance 1 Ramadan on the Hijri calendar. The Gregorian date shifts about eleven days earlier each year and is confirmed by moon sighting shortly before.
Mar 14 Friday Holi Observance The full moon of Phalguna, in February or March.
Mar 20 Thursday March Equinox Observance Around 20 March.
Mar 26 Wednesday Lailat al-Qadr Observance One of the last odd-numbered nights of Ramadan, most often 27 Ramadan.
Mar 31 Monday Eid ul Fitr Observance 1 Shawwal, the day after Ramadan ends. The date depends on a moon sighting and is often confirmed only a day or two in advance.
Apr 19 Saturday Holy Saturday Observance The Saturday before Easter Sunday.
Apr 20 Sunday Easter Sunday Observance The first Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March, so the date moves between 22 March and 25 April.
May 11 Sunday Mother's Day Observance The second Sunday of May in most countries, but the date varies widely.
Jun 7 Saturday Eid al-Adha Observance 10 Dhu al-Hijjah, about seventy days after Eid al-Fitr, confirmed by moon sighting.
Jun 15 Sunday Father's Day Observance The third Sunday of June in most countries, but the date varies widely.
Jun 21 Saturday June Solstice Observance Around 21 June.
Jun 27 Friday Muharram Observance 1 Muharram — the Islamic new year.
Jul 18 Friday Nelson Mandela Day Observance
Aug 9 Saturday Raksha Bandhan Observance The full moon of Shravana, in August.
Aug 16 Saturday Janmashtami Observance The eighth day of the dark fortnight of Bhadrapada, in August or September.
Aug 26 Tuesday Ganesh Chaturthi Observance The fourth day of Bhadrapada, in August or September.
Sep 5 Friday Milad un Nabi Observance 12 Rabi' al-Awwal — 17 Rabi' al-Awwal in the Shia tradition.
Sep 22 Monday Navaratri Observance
Sep 22 Monday September Equinox Observance Around 22 September.
Oct 2 Thursday Dussehra Observance The tenth day of Navaratri, in September or October.
Oct 20 Monday Diwali Observance The new moon of Kartik on the Hindu lunisolar calendar, in October or November.
Dec 21 Sunday December Solstice Observance Around 21 December.
Dec 24 Wednesday Christmas Eve Observance 24 December.
Dec 31 Wednesday New Year's Eve Observance 31 December.

About these holidays

New Year's Day

1 January. In many countries the day off moves to the following Monday when it falls on a weekend.

The first day of the Gregorian calendar year, and the most widely observed public holiday in the world — a day off in almost every country that uses the Gregorian calendar, regardless of religion. Several countries extend the break to 2 January, and some in East Asia keep both the Gregorian and a separate lunar new year.

Good Friday

The Friday before Easter Sunday.

Commemorates the crucifixion, and is the most widely observed Christian public holiday after Christmas. Together with Easter Monday it produces a four-day weekend in much of Europe, the Commonwealth and Latin America. In several countries it also carries trading or entertainment restrictions beyond the day off itself.

Family Day

Varies — the third Monday of February in several Canadian provinces.

A mid-winter or spring holiday introduced to break up a long stretch without one. Observed in several Canadian provinces, South Africa and Vanuatu.

Workers' Day

1 May in most countries.

International Workers' Day, commemorating the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago, and a public holiday in most of the world. The United States and Canada are the notable exceptions, holding their Labor Day in September instead.

Youth Day

Varies by country.

Honours young people, often on the anniversary of a student-led political event — the Soweto uprising in South Africa, the May Fourth Movement in China.

Christmas Day

25 December. The day off moves to the following weekday when it falls on a weekend.

The most widely observed public holiday after New Year's Day, a day off in the great majority of countries including many with no Christian majority, where it functions as a secular end-of-year holiday. Orthodox churches following the Julian calendar keep it on 7 January instead.

Official source: Google Calendar official holidays · timeanddate.com