South Africans are losing out on a public holiday this weekend
South Africa will have 14 public holidays in 2024, including an additional day off to celebrate one public holiday which falls on a Sunday.
South Africa will have 14 public holidays in 2024 – a number which includes an additional day off to celebrate one public holiday which falls on a Sunday.
The Public Holidays Act (Act No 36 of 1994) determines that whenever a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the Monday following it shall be a public holiday.
However, South Africans will ‘lose’ one public holiday as Freedom Day falls on Saturday, 27 April.
And that’s this coming weekend!
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WHY DO WE CELEBRATE FREEDOM DAY?
Freedom Day is a public holiday in South Africa that us celebrated annually on 27 April.
It commemorates the first post-apartheid elections held on that day in 1994 and the day on which the new constitution was introduced.
The elections were the first national elections where everyone of voting age of over 18 from any race group was allowed to vote.
Diarise the following public holidays in 2024 and plan your vacations accordingly!
The next public holiday which South Africans will get a day off work is Wednesday, 1 May when Workers’ Day will be celebrated.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN 2024
Monday, 1 January: New Year’s Day
Thursday, 21 March: Human Rights Day
Friday, 29 March: Good Friday
Monday, 1 April: Family Day
Saturday, 27 April: Freedom Day
Wednesday, 1 May: Workers’ Day
Wednesday, 29 May: General elections
Sunday, 16 June: Youth Day
Monday, 17 June: Public holiday Youth Day observed
Friday, 9 August: National Women’s Day
Tuesday, 24 September: Heritage Day
Monday, 16 December: Day of Reconciliation
Wednesday, 25 December: Christmas Day
Thursday, 26 December: Day of Goodwill
In a typical year, South Africa has 12 public holidays, which is roughly the average when compared to other countries.
The global average for public holidays is 11 days.
Workers in most European countries enjoy 10-14 public holidays a year. The United Kingdom, however, has only eight.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Myanmar has 30 public holidays, while Sri Lanka, Iran, India, and China have 29, 27, 21, and 17, respectively.