Public Holidays in South Africa (2026)
South Africa has 13 public holidays in 2026. 10 fall on a weekday and 3 on a weekend. Here's the full list with dates and days of the week — and a one-click way to add them to your team's leave calendar.
13 public holidays · 2026
Download .ics| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan 2026 | Thursday | New Year's Day |
| 21 Mar 2026 | Saturday | Human Rights Day |
| 3 Apr 2026 | Friday | Good Friday |
| 6 Apr 2026 | Monday | Family Day |
| 27 Apr 2026 | Monday | Freedom Day |
| 1 May 2026 | Friday | Workers' Day |
| 16 Jun 2026 | Tuesday | Youth Day |
| 9 Aug 2026 | Sunday | National Women's Day |
| 10 Aug 2026 | Monday | Public Holiday |
| 24 Sept 2026 | Thursday | Heritage Day |
| 16 Dec 2026 | Wednesday | Day of Reconciliation |
| 25 Dec 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day |
| 26 Dec 2026 | Saturday | Day of Goodwill |
Dates are nationwide public holidays and may vary by region, state, or canton. Always confirm against official sources for payroll.
Add South Africa's 2026 holidays to your team calendar
Instead of copying these dates into a spreadsheet, let Absenca import them automatically. Public holidays are excluded from leave balances, shown on the team calendar, and kept per office location — so a team in South Africa and one elsewhere each get the right days. Free for up to 15 people.
Planning leave around public holidays
Public holidays are the key to stretching annual leave. By booking time off next to a holiday — a "bridge day" — your team can turn a few days of leave into a long break. Absenca highlights these opportunities automatically and warns you when too many people are off at once, so coverage never slips around popular holiday periods.
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