South Africa’s 2026 Public Holidays
11 Dec 2025
As we step into 2026, openHR continues its legacy-aware stewardship by documenting the national public holidays that shape payroll cycles, compliance rituals, and workforce planning. These dates aren’t just markers on a calendar - they’re diagnostic events of South African labour.
📌 Official Public Holidays in 2026
- 1 January (Thursday) – New Year’s Day
- 21 March (Saturday) – Human Rights Day
- 3 April (Friday) – Good Friday *
- 6 April (Monday) – Family Day
- 27 April (Monday) – Freedom Day
- 1 May (Friday) – Workers' Day
- 16 June (Tuesday) – Youth Day
- 9 August (Sunday) – National Women’s Day
- 10 August (Monday) – Public holiday (Women’s Day observed) **
- 24 September (Thursday) – Heritage Day
- 16 December (Wednesday) – Day of Reconciliation
- 25 December (Friday) – Christmas Day
- 26 December (Saturday) – Day of Goodwill
* Good Friday and Easter Sunday are determined by the ecclesiastical moon, falling between late March and late April.
** In terms of the Public Holidays Act, when a holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed.
⚖️ Why These Dates Matter for HR & Payroll
** In terms of the Public Holidays Act, when a holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed.
⚖️ Why These Dates Matter for HR & Payroll
- Payroll cycles: Aligning pay runs with holidays prevents late payments and compliance breaches.
- Leave management: Employees often extend weekends around April and December holidays - anticipate spikes in leave requests.
- Compliance clarity: Observed holidays (like 10 August) must be treated as statutory, not discretionary.
- Workforce planning: Retail, hospitality, and logistics sectors experience demand surges around long weekends.
✨ Closing Thought
Public holidays are more than rest days - they’re systemic checkpoints. By treating them as diagnostic events, SMEs can preserve clarity, dignity, and resilience in their payroll and HR practices. With openHR, every holiday becomes part of a transparent audit trail.
