Public Holidays in South Africa

Nationwide Events in South Africa and South Africa's Public Holidays

South Africans love public holidays; we celebrate our constitution, landmarks in our political history and even a few cultural pastimes (like National Braai Day ... yes, we take a whole day off work to celebrate our braai / BBQ culture, well it's technically Heritage Day, but close enough). See the list below of the public holidays in South Africa as well as nationwide events, which could affect your travel plans. Most tourist attractions, banks and other government services are closed on public holidays, but most grocery stores and shops do open (though some for limited hours).

We also suggest you check our regional events sections to see if any festivals or events are taking place at destinations you are intending to visit, as large festivals may hamper your travel plans (roads may be closed, etc) or improve them (why not join the festivities, rather than sitting in traffic?).