South Africa Public Holidays 2027
South Africa has 14 national public holidays in 2027, starting with New Year's Day on January 1, 2027 and ending with Public Holiday on December 27, 2027. 4 of them fall on a Saturday or Sunday this year, so the number of extra days away from the desk depends on the calendar.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | January 1, 2027 | Friday | Public holiday |
| Human Rights Day | March 21, 2027 | SundayWeekend | Public holiday |
| Public Holiday | March 22, 2027 | Monday | Public holiday |
| Good Friday | March 26, 2027 | Friday | Public holiday |
| Easter MondayFamily Day | March 29, 2027 | Monday | Public holiday |
| Freedom Day | April 27, 2027 | Tuesday | Public holiday |
| Workers' Day | May 1, 2027 | SaturdayWeekend | Public holiday |
| Youth Day | June 16, 2027 | Wednesday | Public holiday |
| National Women's Day | August 9, 2027 | Monday | Public holiday |
| Heritage Day | September 24, 2027 | Friday | Public holiday |
| Day of Reconciliation | December 16, 2027 | Thursday | Public holiday |
| Christmas Day | December 25, 2027 | SaturdayWeekend | Public holiday |
| Day of Goodwill | December 26, 2027 | SundayWeekend | Public holiday |
| Public Holiday | December 27, 2027 | Monday | Public holiday |
March is the densest month for holidays, which tends to shape travel and shopping patterns. The table below lists every South Africa public holiday for 2027 with its exact date and the weekday it falls on, so you can see the long weekends at a glance. Only nationwide public holidays are included here, which keeps the South Africa calendar clean and comparable.
Frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does South Africa have in 2027?
South Africa has 14 national public holidays in 2027. The first is New Year's Day on January 1, 2027 and the last is Public Holiday on December 27, 2027.
What is the first public holiday of 2027 in South Africa?
The first public holiday of 2027 is New Year's Day, which falls on January 1, 2027.
When is New Year celebrated in South Africa in 2027?
In 2027, New Year's Day in South Africa is on January 1, 2027.
Are regional holidays included for South Africa?
No. This calendar lists national public holidays only, so it stays consistent across countries. Holidays that apply to just part of South Africa are listed separately on the South Africa holiday hub, together with the regions that observe them.
Do the South Africa holiday dates change from 2027 to the next year?
Some of them do. 4 of the 14 holidays in 2027 sit on a moving rule (substitute day and linked to easter), so their date has to be recalculated for every year. The rest keep the same calendar date and only change weekday. Moving ones this year include Public Holiday on March 22, 2027, Good Friday on March 26, 2027 and Easter Monday on March 29, 2027, plus 1 more.
How far ahead is the South Africa calendar actually fixed?
Through 2027. The holidays are set in law rather than announced year by year, so the dates repeat predictably. What can still change is a law amendment, a one-off holiday declared for a national event, and the exact day of any holiday on the Islamic calendar, which is confirmed by moon sighting. No corrections to the underlying dataset were needed for South Africa.
Which South Africa holidays are regional, and which move?
The table above is the national calendar for 2027. Some holidays keep the same date every year while others are tied to Easter, to a lunar calendar or to a named weekday, and some parts of the country add their own days off. The South Africa holiday hub breaks that down: which holidays are fixed, which move and why, and which ones are observed in certain regions only. To compare South Africa with other countries in the same year, see the 2027 worldwide overview.
Other years for South Africa
Planning further ahead or looking back? Compare the South Africa public holiday calendar across years: