Home › South Africa › 2026 ZA South Africa public holidays 2026: 13 holidays, 2 long weekends In 2026, South Africa has 13 public holidays: 10 fall on working days, and the calendar offers 2 long weekends. Good Friday falls on April 3, 2026, and April is the busiest month.
Year at a glance 13 Public holidays 10 On weekdays 251 Working days in year 10 Longest break (days) April Busiest month Public holidays in 2026 Date Weekday Holiday Substitute day January 1, 2026 Thursday New Year's Day — March 21, 2026 Saturday Human Rights Day — April 3, 2026 Friday Good Friday — April 6, 2026 Monday Family Day — April 27, 2026 Monday Freedom Day — May 1, 2026 Friday Workers' Day — June 16, 2026 Tuesday Youth Day — August 9, 2026 Sunday National Women's Day — August 10, 2026 Monday Public Holiday — September 24, 2026 Thursday Heritage Day — December 16, 2026 Wednesday Day of Reconciliation — December 25, 2026 Friday Christmas Day — December 26, 2026 Saturday Day of Goodwill —
2026 calendar January 2026 M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
February 2026 M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
March 2026 M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
April 2026 M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
May 2026 M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
June 2026 M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
July 2026 M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
August 2026 M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
September 2026 M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
October 2026 M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
November 2026 M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
December 2026 M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Holidays on weekend days Holiday Date Weekday / Substitute day Human Rights Day March 21, 2026 Saturday National Women's Day August 9, 2026 Sunday Day of Goodwill December 26, 2026 Saturday
Long weekends and bridge days Date Days off vacation days Holiday January 1, 2026 – January 4, 2026 4 1 New Year's Day April 3, 2026 – April 6, 2026 4 No leave needed Good Friday, Family Day March 28, 2026 – April 6, 2026 10 4 Good Friday, Family Day April 25, 2026 – April 27, 2026 3 No leave needed Freedom Day April 25, 2026 – May 3, 2026 9 3 Freedom Day, Workers' Day
Moving holidays Holiday Date Moving holidays Good Friday April 3, 2026 15 earlier Family Day April 6, 2026 15 earlier
All about public holidays in South Africa
Holidays by year 