Fiatmap

Work & incomeSouth Africa

Public holidays in South Africa

How many public holidays would I get there?

South Africa's public holidays is 12 days — #50 of 104 countries on the atlas (higher is better). Period 2026.

12days

Checked 8 Sept 2026Period 2026

Source: Public holiday calendar (Nager.Date)

Among 104 countries

3 of 104 countries between 4 days and 5 days4 of 104 countries between 5 days and 5 days2 of 104 countries between 6 days and 7 days4 of 104 countries between 7 days and 7 days3 of 104 countries between 8 days and 9 days4 of 104 countries between 9 days and 9 days12 of 104 countries between 10 days and 11 days15 of 104 countries between 11 days and 11 days9 of 104 countries between 12 days and 13 days14 of 104 countries between 13 days and 13 days10 of 104 countries between 14 days and 15 days6 of 104 countries between 15 days and 15 days7 of 104 countries between 16 days and 17 days2 of 104 countries between 17 days and 17 days3 of 104 countries between 18 days and 19 days1 of 104 countries between 19 days and 19 days5 of 104 countries between 19 days and 20 daysmedian 12 daysSouth Africa: ahead of 45 % of the 104 countries with a published public holidaysSouth Africa 12 days4 days20 days
Half of all 104 countries sit between 10 days and 14 days. South Africa is ahead of 45 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 3 values beyond it sit in the end bars.
Rank
#50 of 104
higher is better
Ranked behind
52 %
54 of 104 countries

In Africa: #7 of 20vs median 12 days: −0 % (worse)

The neighbourhood

#CountryPublic holidaysvs South Africa
48 Dominican Republic13 days+1 days
49 Norway12 days—
50 South Africa12 days—
51 Bolivia12 days—
52 Estonia12 days—

Public holidays per year (Nager.Date). Statutory paid annual leave is not included — it is a separate field we do not publish yet.

How to read this figure

Distinct nationwide public holiday DATES this calendar year — regional holidays excluded, observances (name days, Mother’s Day and the like) excluded, and two holidays on one date counted once. The calendar comes from Nager.Date, which is community-maintained rather than an official register, so we bound-check every count (5–30 days) and refuse anything outside it. Treat it as indicative, not as a legal source, and note it says nothing about statutory vacation days.

Next, about South Africa

Retirement age (men)
Public holidays, all countries ranked →Compare South Africa with another country →Everything about South Africa →
Did this answer your question?