Public holidays in South Africa 2023
Every public holiday in South Africa in 2023 is listed below, with the day of the week each one falls on. National holidays apply across the whole country. Regional ones apply only in certain states or areas, so check locally before booking anything around them.
See 2023 on a calendar. Open the South Africa calendar to see these marked on a year-at-a-glance grid next to your own leave, travel and deadlines. Free, no sign-up.
Planning around a reporting week rather than a month? Week numbers for 2023 lists every week with its dates.
Public holiday dates in South Africa, 2023
| Date | Day | Holiday | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Sunday | New Year's Day | National |
| 2 January | Monday | New Year's Day (observed) | National |
| 21 March | Tuesday | Human Rights Day | National |
| 7 April | Friday | Good Friday | National |
| 10 April | Monday | Family Day | National |
| 27 April | Thursday | Freedom Day | National |
| 1 May | Monday | Workers' Day | National |
| 16 June | Friday | Youth Day | National |
| 9 August | Wednesday | National Women's Day | National |
| 24 September | Sunday | Heritage Day | National |
| 25 September | Monday | Heritage Day (observed) | National |
| 15 December | Friday | Public Holiday by Presidential Decree | National |
| 16 December | Saturday | Day of Reconciliation | National |
| 25 December | Monday | Christmas Day | National |
| 26 December | Tuesday | Day of Goodwill | National |
Which days of the week they fall on
Of the 15 national holidays in 2023, 12 fall on a weekday and 3 at a weekend. A holiday landing on a weekend is worth spotting early if you were counting on a long one.
Other years
Public holidays in South Africa 2022 · Public holidays in South Africa 2024
Other countries
Public holidays for 247 countries and territories, or back to South Africa.