South Africa will lose two public holidays in 2026

In 2026, South Africa will only get 10 public holidays, instead of 12, as a result of certain rules in the Public Holidays Act.

South Africa has 12 official public holidays, starting from New Year’s Day on 1 January and ending with the Day of Goodwill on 26 December.

However, the number of actual holidays South Africans get differs every year. Some years may have more holiday days, due to things like elections or sporting events.

For example, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared 15 December 2023 a public holiday after the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup.

Other years, however, may have fewer public holidays. This is because of certain rules in the Public Holidays Act, which stipulate that if a holiday falls on a Saturday, the Monday will be treated as a normal working day.

If a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is treated as an off-day. This has widespread implications for most South Africans.

Schools and many offices close on public holidays, and those who have to work are entitled to twice their normal wages on these days.

In 2026, two public holidays will fall on Saturdays, meaning there are technically two fewer off-days than there should be.

However, one of these public holidays, the Day of Goodwill, falls on 26 December, a period when many schools and workplaces are closed anyway.

That means that students and those in regular office jobs will likely only technically lose one off-day in 2026. The table below shows South Africa’s 12 annual public holidays, and which days South Africans will have off work in 2026.

How South Africa compares with the rest of the world

The number of public holidays in South Africa has often been critiqued for its effect on productivity, wage costs and economic activity. Studies have shown that public holidays result in the economy losing billions of rands.

For example, when President Kgalema Motlanthe unexpectedly added another public holiday to the calendar in 2011, BDO South Africa estimated the cost to GDP at R7 billion.

Despite this fact, South Africa’s number of public holidays is very comparable to the number of holidays in countries globally.

According to a study of 64 major countries around the world, consulting firm Mercer LLC found that Mexico has the fewest public holidays, at only 7 days.

Other countries like the UK, the Netherlands, and Hungary also ranked among the countries with the fewest public holidays a year.

On the other end of the spectrum, Colombia and India ranked as the countries with the most public holidays annually, with 18 each.

Interestingly, on top of its list of public holidays, India also has a long number of recognised “restricted” holidays.

While these are not mandatory off-days, employees are typically allowed to choose two to three optional holidays based on personal preferences, religious beliefs, or cultural practices.

Mercer found that most of the countries that grant the highest number of public holidays are in the Asia-Pacific region.

Interestingly, the difference between South Africa’s number of public holidays and that of the country with the most public holidays is roughly the same as the difference between South Africa and the country with the fewest.

This means South Africa has around the average number of public holidays. US-based data site, World Population, has had a similar finding, estimating that 11 public holidays is the global average – very close to South Africa’s 12 annual holidays.

The tables below show the countries with the most and fewest public holidays annually, respectively, according to Mercer LLC.