In 2024, there will be 14 public holidays in South Africa, one of which will feature an extra day off to commemorate a Sunday public holiday. According to the Public Holidays Act (Act No 36 of 1994), a public holiday always occurs on the Monday that follows a Sunday.
However, since Freedom Day comes on Saturday, April 27, South Africans would “lose” one public holiday in 2019. And that’s this weekend, coming up!
Why is Freedom Day Celebrated?
Every year on April 27, South Africa observes Freedom Day as a public holiday. It honors both the day the new constitution was unveiled and the first post-apartheid elections that took place on that day in 1994.
These were the first national elections in which voters of any race, over the age of 18, may cast a ballot. Make note of the following public holidays in 2024 and schedule your getaway appropriately!
The next national holiday on which South Africans will be off work is Workers’ Day, which is observed on Wednesday, May 1.
2024 Public Holidays
January 1st, Monday: New Year’s Day
March 21st, Thursday: Human Rights Day
March 29th, Friday: Good Friday
April 1st, Monday: Family Day
April 27, Saturday: Freedom Day
Workers’ Day is on Wednesday, May 1.
May 29th, Wednesday: General elections
June 16th, Sunday: Youth Day
Monday, June 17th is Youth Day, a public holiday.
August 9th, Friday, is National Women’s Day.
September 24, Tuesday: Heritage Day
December 16th, Monday: Reconciliation Day
December 25, Wednesday: Christmas Day
December 26, Thursday: Day of Goodwill
When compared to other nations, South Africa’s twelve public holidays per year are about average.
Eleven days are public holidays on average across the globe.
Most European countries offer their workers 10–14 public holidays annually. That number is just eight in the United Kingdom.
Myanmar, on the other hand, observes 30 public holidays, compared to 29, 27, 21, and 17 in Sri Lanka, Iran, India, and China.
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