Public holidays 2026
14 public holiday dates in 2026, including 4 November, declared for the local government elections; one Sunday holiday adds a Monday public holiday (10 August); two fall on a Saturday.
All 14 dates
| Date | Public holiday | Why this day | For public schools |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | 1 January | Outside the school terms. | |
| Human Rights Day | 21 March | A Saturday: no school day lost and no day added. | |
| Good Friday | Friday before Easter Sunday | Falls in the March–April holidays. | |
| Family Day | Monday after Easter Sunday | Falls in the March–April holidays. | |
| Freedom Day | 27 April | Schools closed: a day off inside Term 2. | |
| Workers’ Day | 1 May | Schools closed: a day off inside Term 2. | |
| Youth Day | 16 June | Schools closed: a day off inside Term 2. | |
| National Women’s Day | 9 August | A Sunday: the Monday after it is a public holiday too. | |
| Public holiday for National Women’s Day | National Women’s Day falls on , which stays a public holiday; section 2(1) makes the Monday after it a public holiday as well | Schools closed: a day off inside Term 3. | |
| Heritage Day | 24 September | Falls in the September–October holidays. | |
| Public holiday for the local government elections | Declared under section 2A for the local government elections: Proclamation Notice 346 of 2026, Government Gazette 55352 of | Schools closed: a day off inside Term 4, declared after the Gazette calendar was published. | |
| Day of Reconciliation | 16 December | Falls in the December–January holidays. | |
| Christmas Day | 25 December | Falls in the December–January holidays. | |
| Day of Goodwill | 26 December | Falls in the December–January holidays (a Saturday). |
Taken from gov.za: Public holidays in South Africa; Government Gazette 52177, Notice 5901 of 25 February 2025: 2026 Calendar for public schools; Government Gazette 55352 (Regulation Gazette 12046), Proclamation Notice 346 of 8 September 2026: Declaration of 4 November 2026 as a public holiday; gov.za: Public Holidays Act: Declaration of the Fourth Day of November 2026 as Public Holiday throughout the Republic; Department of Basic Education: Published 2026 School Calendar. Saved copies last read on .
What sets 2026 apart
- Wednesday 4 November 2026 was declared a public holiday throughout South Africa for the local government elections, by Proclamation Notice 346 of 2026 in Government Gazette 55352 of 8 September 2026 (section 2A of the Act). It is not one of the twelve days of Schedule 1, so it applies to 2026 only.
- 11 of the 14 dates fall on a weekday (10 in 2027, 10 in 2028). Human Rights Day and Day of Goodwill fall on a Saturday, which adds no day off.
- One Sunday holiday adds a Monday public holiday in 2026: Monday 10 August 2026 after National Women’s Day (schools closed: a day off inside Term 3).
Add the 2026 public holidays to your calendar The calendar file uses the .ics format. Import it into a phone or computer calendar to add the dates.
Not on the gov.za list
The gov.za public holidays list for 2026 does not include Wednesday 4 November 2026. This site includes it: Wednesday 4 November 2026 was declared a public holiday by Proclamation Notice 346 of 2026 (Government Gazette 55352, 8 September 2026). Every other date on this page is on the gov.za list as well.
Long weekends 2026
Five runs of three or more days off in a row.
| Days off | Length | Public holidays |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 3 to Mon 6 Apr | 4 days | Good Friday, Family Day |
| Sat 25 to Mon 27 Apr | 3 days | Freedom Day |
| Fri 1 to Sun 3 May | 3 days | Workers’ Day |
| Sat 8 to Mon 10 Aug | 3 days | National Women’s Day, Public holiday for National Women’s Day |
| Fri 25 to Sun 27 Dec | 3 days | Christmas Day, Day of Goodwill |
With one day of leave: New Year’s Day on a Thursday: take Fri 2 Jan off for Thu 1 to Sun 4 Jan (four days); Youth Day on a Tuesday: take Mon 15 Jun off (public schools are closed that day: special school holiday) for Sat 13 to Tue 16 Jun (four days); Heritage Day on a Thursday: take Fri 25 Sep off for Thu 24 to Sun 27 Sep (four days).
Taken from gov.za: Public holidays in South Africa; Government Gazette 52177, Notice 5901 of 25 February 2025: 2026 Calendar for public schools; Government Gazette 55352 (Regulation Gazette 12046), Proclamation Notice 346 of 8 September 2026: Declaration of 4 November 2026 as a public holiday; gov.za: Public Holidays Act: Declaration of the Fourth Day of November 2026 as Public Holiday throughout the Republic; Department of Basic Education: Published 2026 School Calendar. Saved copies last read on .
A long weekend here means a public holiday on a Friday or Monday next to a weekend, or on a Tuesday or Thursday that gives a break of four days or more with one day of leave. These are counted from the dates.
The Sunday rule
Under section 2(1) of the Public Holidays Act 36 of 1994, the Monday following a public holiday that falls on a Sunday is also a public holiday. A public holiday on a Saturday adds no extra day off.
Questions people ask
- How many public holidays fall on a weekday in 2026?
- 11 of the 14 dates fall on a weekday (Monday to Friday).
- Which public holiday falls on a Sunday in 2026?
- National Women’s Day (Sunday 9 August 2026), so Monday 10 August 2026 is a public holiday as well.
- Is the special school holiday on Monday 15 June 2026 a public holiday?
- No. The Gazette names it a special school holiday: public schools are closed that day, but it is not a public holiday for employers.
The Gazette notices and pages behind this page
- gov.za: Public holidays in South Africa (copy saved )
- Government Gazette 52177, Notice 5901 of 25 February 2025: 2026 Calendar for public schools (copy saved )
- Government Gazette 55352 (Regulation Gazette 12046), Proclamation Notice 346 of 8 September 2026: Declaration of 4 November 2026 as a public holiday (copy saved )
- gov.za: Public Holidays Act: Declaration of the Fourth Day of November 2026 as Public Holiday throughout the Republic (copy saved )
- Department of Basic Education: Published 2026 School Calendar (copy saved )
Each figure above was tested against saved copies of these papers, last read on . Should this page and the Government Gazette ever part ways, go by the Gazette. How each date is tested.