Public holidays · Africa · 2026
South Africa Holidays 2026: Public Holidays in South Africa
South Africa has 13 national public holidays in 2026. 11 of them fall on a weekday and 2 on a weekend. The next public holiday is Election Day on Wednesday, 4 November (in 8 days). There are 5 long weekends and 3 more if you take a bridge day off.
Next public holiday
Election Day
Wednesday, 4 November 2026
South Africa public holidays 2026 — full list
| Date | Holiday | Local name | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | New Year's Day | Public holiday | |
| Weekend | Human Rights Day | Human Rights Day | Public holiday |
| Good Friday | Good Friday | Public holiday | |
| Family Day | Family Day | Public holiday | |
| Freedom Day | Freedom Day | Public holiday | |
| Workers' Day | Workers' Day | Public holiday | |
| Youth Day | Youth Day | Public holiday | |
| National Women's Day | National Women's Day | Public holiday | |
| Heritage Day | Heritage Day | Public holiday | |
| Election Day Next | Election Day | Public holiday | |
| Day of Reconciliation | Day of Reconciliation | Public holiday | |
| Christmas Day | Christmas Day | Public holiday | |
| Weekend | Day of Goodwill | St. Stephen's Day | Public holiday |
Data: Nager.Date public holiday database and the vacanza/holidays library (both MIT licence). Dates of religious holidays based on the lunar calendar may shift by a day after official announcements.
South Africa holiday calendar 2026
- National holiday
- Regional holiday
- Bridge day (take off for a long weekend)
January 1
February
March 1
April 3
May 1
June 1
July
August 1
September 1
October
November 1
December 3
Long weekends in South Africa 2026
5 long weekends come for free, and 3 more need just one or two days of leave. Plan your trips around these dates.
Thu 1 Jan – Sun 4 Jan
Take off Fri 2 Jan
Fri 3 Apr – Mon 6 Apr
No leave needed
Sat 25 Apr – Mon 27 Apr
No leave needed
Fri 1 May – Sun 3 May
No leave needed
Sat 13 Jun – Tue 16 Jun
Take off Mon 15 Jun
Sat 8 Aug – Mon 10 Aug
No leave needed
Thu 24 Sep – Sun 27 Sep
Take off Fri 25 Sep
Fri 25 Dec – Sun 27 Dec
No leave needed
South Africa vs its neighbours — public holidays in 2026
Planning a trip to South Africa?
On public holidays banks, offices and many shops close, public transport often runs a Sunday timetable and popular destinations get busy and more expensive. Book early around long weekends.