South African Holidays

South African public holidays




Here is the list of official South African public holidays. Given South Africa's turbulent recent history, it's no surprise that many of the holidays have strong links to significant events in the history of the "Struggle" against Apartheid - the resistance movement against the oppressive Afrikaner government of the day. If any public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed as a public holiday in lieu.
1st JanuaryNew Year's Day
21st MarchHuman Rights Day
(variable)Good Friday
(variable)Family Day
27th AprilFreedom Day
1st May Workers' Day
16th JuneYouth Day
9th AugustNational Women's Day
24th SeptemberHeritage Day
16th DecemberDay of Reconciliation
25th DecemberChristmas Day
26th DecemberDay of Goodwill

Human Rights Day

Human Rights Day is celebrated worldwide on 10th December, in honour of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, first proclaimed by the UN on 10th December 1948. In South Africa it is observed on 21st March however, in observance of the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre in which police opened fire on an unarmed and peaceful protest in the township of Sharpeville, killing 69 and injuring 180, including women and children.

Good Friday

Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ by the Romans in approximately AD 33. The date is variable, and is calculated according to the lunar calendar as the Friday before the first Sunday after the full moon on or after 21st March.

Family Day

Formerly celebrated in South Africa as Easter Monday, Family Day falls on the Monday after Easter Sunday.

Freedom Day

Freedom Day celebrates the first post-Apartheid elections held in 1994, in which all citizens had an equal vote, regardless of race.

Workers' Day

Workers' Day is a celebration of workers' rights, and commemorates the important role trade unions played in the Struggle.

Youth Day

Youth Day marks the beginning of the Soweto riots of 1976 in which schoolkids gathered to protest the government decree that they would receive tuition in Afrikaans. The protest turned into a violent confrontation between students and armed police, with 23 people killed by the end of the day, and many more injured.

National Women's Day

Commemoration of the 1956 march of 20,000 women to the government headquarters in Pretoria to protest against the pass laws, which prevented Africans from moving around freely.

Heritage Day

This day used to be celebrated as Shaka Day, in memory of the legendary Zulu king, but after the 1994 elections was broadened to become a day to "celebrate the contribution of all South Africans to the building of South Africa". It is also informally known as National Braai Day, when families and friends gather for backyard barbeques.

Day of Reconciliation

16th December has long been celebrated by Afrikaners as the Day of the Vow, when they commemorate victory over the Zulus at the Battle of Blood River in 1838. It is also celebrated as the anniversary of the founding of the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC) in 1961. More recently the day is celebrated as the Day of Reconciliation, an attempt to foster national unity.

Christmas Day

A celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Day of Goodwill

A.k.a. Boxing Day.