Public holidays 2028
13 public holiday dates in 2028; one Sunday holiday adds a Monday public holiday (25 September); two fall on a Saturday.
All 13 dates
| Date | Public holiday | Why this day | For public schools |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | 1 January | Falls in the December–January holidays (a Saturday). | |
| Human Rights Day | 21 March | Falls in the March holidays. | |
| Good Friday | Friday before Easter Sunday | Schools closed: a day off inside Term 2. | |
| Family Day | Monday after Easter Sunday | Schools closed: a day off inside Term 2. | |
| 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 | Falls in the June–July holidays. | |
| National Women’s Day | 9 August | Schools closed: a day off inside Term 3. | |
| Heritage Day | 24 September | Falls in the September–October holidays (a Sunday; the Monday after it is a public holiday too). | |
| Public holiday for Heritage Day | Heritage Day falls on , which stays a public holiday; section 2(1) makes the Monday after it a public holiday as well | Falls in the September–October holidays. | |
| Day of Reconciliation | 16 December | Falls in the December holidays (a Saturday). | |
| Christmas Day | 25 December | Falls in the December holidays. | |
| Day of Goodwill | 26 December | Falls in the December holidays. |
Taken from Government Gazette 55619, Notice 8081 of 23 October 2026: 2028 Calendar for public schools; Public Holidays Act 36 of 1994; Government Gazette 52178, Notice 5902 of 25 February 2025: 2027 Calendar for public schools; Department of Basic Education: Published 2027 School Calendar; gov.za: National Education Policy Act: 2028 Calendar for public schools; Department of Basic Education: Proposed 2028 School Calendar for public comments (a proposed calendar for public comment, not the published notice; listed as a cross-check only). Saved copies last read on .
What sets 2028 apart
- 10 of the 13 dates fall on a weekday (11 in 2026, 10 in 2027). New Year’s Day and Day of Reconciliation fall on a Saturday, which adds no day off.
- One Sunday holiday adds a Monday public holiday in 2028: Monday 25 September 2028 after Heritage Day (falls in the September–October holidays).
Add the 2028 public holidays to your calendar The calendar file uses the .ics format. Import it into a phone or computer calendar to add the dates.
Source for this year
The gov.za public holidays page does not list 2028 yet. These dates are the list printed in Government Gazette 55619 (the 2028 school calendar), checked against Schedule 1 of the Public Holidays Act 36 of 1994.
Long weekends 2028
Five runs of three or more days off in a row.
| Days off | Length | Public holidays |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 14 to Mon 17 Apr | 4 days | Good Friday, Family Day |
| Sat 29 Apr to Mon 1 May | 3 days | Workers’ Day |
| Fri 16 to Sun 18 Jun | 3 days | Youth Day |
| Sat 23 to Mon 25 Sep | 3 days | Heritage Day, Public holiday for Heritage Day |
| Sat 23 to Tue 26 Dec | 4 days | Christmas Day, Day of Goodwill |
With one day of leave: Human Rights Day on a Tuesday: take Mon 20 Mar off for Sat 18 to Tue 21 Mar (four days); Freedom Day on a Thursday: take Fri 28 Apr off (public schools are closed that day: special school holiday) for Thu 27 Apr to Mon 1 May (five days).
Taken from Government Gazette 55619, Notice 8081 of 23 October 2026: 2028 Calendar for public schools; Public Holidays Act 36 of 1994; Government Gazette 52178, Notice 5902 of 25 February 2025: 2027 Calendar for public schools; Department of Basic Education: Published 2027 School Calendar; gov.za: National Education Policy Act: 2028 Calendar for public schools; Department of Basic Education: Proposed 2028 School Calendar for public comments (a proposed calendar for public comment, not the published notice; listed as a cross-check only). 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 2028?
- 10 of the 13 dates fall on a weekday (Monday to Friday).
- Which public holiday falls on a Sunday in 2028?
- Heritage Day (Sunday 24 September 2028), so Monday 25 September 2028 is a public holiday as well.
- Is the special school holiday on Friday 28 April 2028 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
- Government Gazette 55619, Notice 8081 of 23 October 2026: 2028 Calendar for public schools (copy saved )
- Public Holidays Act 36 of 1994 (copy saved )
- Government Gazette 52178, Notice 5902 of 25 February 2025: 2027 Calendar for public schools (copy saved )
- Department of Basic Education: Published 2027 School Calendar (copy saved )
- gov.za: National Education Policy Act: 2028 Calendar for public schools (copy saved )
- Department of Basic Education: Proposed 2028 School Calendar for public comments (a proposed calendar for public comment, not the published notice; listed as a cross-check only) (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.