W World Calendar

South Africa 2027 Public Holidays

14 public holidays

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

2027 Holiday List · South Africa

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

Date Day Holiday Type Notes
Jan 1 Friday 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 Sunday Human Rights Day Public holiday
Mar 22 Monday Day off for Human Rights Day Public holiday
Mar 26 Friday Good Friday Public holiday The Friday before Easter Sunday.
Mar 29 Monday Family Day Public holiday Varies — the third Monday of February in several Canadian provinces.
Apr 27 Tuesday Freedom Day Public holiday
May 1 Saturday Workers' Day Public holiday 1 May in most countries.
Jun 16 Wednesday Youth Day Public holiday Varies by country.
Aug 9 Monday National Women's Day Public holiday
Sep 24 Friday Heritage Day Public holiday
Dec 16 Thursday Day of Reconciliation Public holiday
Dec 25 Saturday Christmas Day Public holiday 25 December. The day off moves to the following weekday when it falls on a weekend.
Dec 26 Sunday Day of Goodwill Public holiday
Dec 27 Monday Day of Goodwillsubstitute day Public holiday
Show 29 observances and other marked dates
Date Day Holiday Type Notes
Jan 2 Saturday Tweede Nuwe Jaar Observance
Jan 6 Wednesday Isra and Mi'rajdate to be confirmed Observance 27 Rajab.
Feb 8 Monday Ramadan Startdate to be confirmed 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.
Feb 21 Sunday Armed Forces Day Observance Varies by country.
Mar 5 Friday Lailat al-Qadr Observance One of the last odd-numbered nights of Ramadan, most often 27 Ramadan.
Mar 6 Saturday Maha Shivaratri Observance The fourteenth night of the dark fortnight of Phalguna, in February or March.
Mar 10 Wednesday Eid ul Fitrdate to be confirmed 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.
Mar 20 Saturday March Equinox Observance Around 20 March.
Mar 22 Monday Holi Observance The full moon of Phalguna, in February or March.
Mar 27 Saturday Holy Saturday Observance The Saturday before Easter Sunday.
Mar 28 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 9 Sunday Mother's Day Observance The second Sunday of May in most countries, but the date varies widely.
May 17 Monday Eid al-Adhadate to be confirmed Observance 10 Dhu al-Hijjah, about seventy days after Eid al-Fitr, confirmed by moon sighting.
Jun 6 Sunday Muharramdate to be confirmed Observance 1 Muharram — the Islamic new year.
Jun 20 Sunday Father's Day Observance The third Sunday of June in most countries, but the date varies widely.
Jun 21 Monday June Solstice Observance Around 21 June.
Jul 18 Sunday Nelson Mandela Day Observance
Aug 15 Sunday Milad un Nabidate to be confirmed Observance 12 Rabi' al-Awwal — 17 Rabi' al-Awwal in the Shia tradition.
Aug 17 Tuesday Raksha Bandhan Observance The full moon of Shravana, in August.
Aug 25 Wednesday Janmashtami Observance The eighth day of the dark fortnight of Bhadrapada, in August or September.
Sep 3 Friday Ganesh Chaturthi Observance The fourth day of Bhadrapada, in August or September.
Sep 23 Thursday September Equinox Observance Around 22 September.
Sep 30 Thursday Navaratri Observance
Oct 9 Saturday Dussehra Observance The tenth day of Navaratri, in September or October.
Oct 28 Thursday Diwali Observance The new moon of Kartik on the Hindu lunisolar calendar, in October or November.
Dec 22 Wednesday December Solstice Observance Around 21 December.
Dec 24 Friday Christmas Eve Observance 24 December.
Dec 26 Sunday Isra and Mi'rajdate to be confirmed Observance 27 Rajab.
Dec 31 Friday 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