South Africa, 2026 to 2028
Public holidays and working days, worked out
Every South African public holiday with the Sunday rule already applied, long weekends and the leave days that stretch them, a working days calculator and the gazetted school terms. Free, with links to the official sources.
- Sources: Public Holidays Act, gov.za and DBE gazettes
- Reviewed 30 October 2026
- No sign-up, no data collected
Next public holiday
4Wednesday
November 2026
Local government elections
5 days from 30 October 2026
- Wed 16 Dec Day of Reconciliation
- Fri 25 Dec Christmas Day
- Sat 26 Dec Day of Goodwill
Calendars and tools
Each year has a full holiday list, a printable calendar and working days per month.
Public holidays Every holiday, long weekend and leave idea
Public holidays 2026
Including Election Day on 4 November and Women's Day observed on Monday 10 August.
See the datesPublic holidays 2027
Human Rights Day and Day of Goodwill fall on Sundays, so 22 March and 27 December are holidays.
See the datesPublic holidays 2028
Heritage Day falls on a Sunday, so Monday 25 September is a public holiday.
See the datesWorking days Count days or find a deadline
School terms Gazetted public school calendars
School terms 2026
Term dates and school holidays for public schools in 2026, from the gazetted DBE calendar.
See the datesSchool terms 2027
Term dates and school holidays for public schools in 2027, from the gazetted DBE calendar.
See the datesSchool terms 2028
Term dates and school holidays for public schools in 2028, from the gazetted DBE calendar.
See the dates2027 at a glance
- Public holidays
- 14
- Working days
- 251
- Long weekends
- 6
- Best leave deal
- 1 → 4
- Schools open
- 13 Jan
- Sunday rule
- s2(1)
including 2 moved from a Sunday to the Monday
Monday to Friday, after public holidays
three days or more off in a row, with no leave
take Mon 26 Apr for 4 days off in a row
Wednesday 13 January 2027, all provinces
a public holiday on a Sunday moves to the Monday
Plain-English guides
What the law says, with links to the Acts.
December 2026 leave planner
Five ways to plan leave around 16, 25 and 26 December and New Year, with leave days for each.
Read the guideHow public holidays work
The Public Holidays Act: the 12 holidays, the Sunday rule, special days and swapping a holiday.
Read the guideWorking on a public holiday
When an employer can ask you to work, and the pay you are owed under section 18 of the BCEA.
Read the guideWhy KayaCalendar?
Official sources only
Holidays come from the Public Holidays Act and presidential declarations, and school terms from the Minister's gazetted calendars. Each page links to them.
Plan your leave
See every long weekend and the one, two or three leave days that turn a public holiday into a proper break.
Private by design
The calculator runs in your browser. No sign-up, and nothing you enter is sent to us or to advertisers.