Wants to know the official public holidays in South Africa? Or need to know school holiday dates in South Africa?
A public holiday in South Africa is a holiday generally established by South African law makers and is normally a non working day during the year.
The public holidays in South Africa are generally days to celebrate an occasion, like the anniversary of a historical event (eg: Independence day), or can be a religious celebration like Christmas.
A comprehensive list of public holidays in South Africa with brief description of respective holidays including South African festivals are listed on this webpage.
National Holidays in South Africa |
Festivals in South Africa |
South African Public Holidays
South African National Holidays
The South African National Day is a designated date on the 27 April (1994) to celebrate the Freedom Day of South Africa.
Often this public holiday in South Africa is not called as National Day. However, the banks, schools and other public buildings will be closed.
The 1st of January is celebrated as The New Year in South Africa to mark the beginning of a new calendar year.
May Day is another national holiday in South Africa which is observed to commemorate the achievements of the labor movement.
Festivities In South Africa
Christmas Day is a public holiday in most of the countries and observed on December 25 to commemorate the birth of Jesus.
The Orthodox Christian and Western-Roman Catholic patronal feast day or 'name day' are celebrated in each place's patron saint's day, according to the Calendar of saints.
The largest holidays for Muslims in South Africa are Eid ul-Fitr. This is celebrated immediately after the end of Ramadan and Eid al-Adha which is celebrated at the conclusion of the Hajj.
Diwali (Festival of Light) is one of the biggest holidays observed by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs who reside in South Africa.
Jews who live in South Africa celebrate several festivals: the Passover (Spring Feasts of Pesach) and Shavuot,
the Rosh Hashanah (beginning of the Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Sukkot (Tabernacles), and Shemini Atzeret (Eighth Day of Assembly).