Following the most recent public holiday, Heritage Day, South Africans will no doubt be checking out the calendar for the next day off work this year.
And there’s a double dose of good news in that regard!
The next public holiday will come in December when the Day of Reconciliation is celebrated on Monday, 16 December.
It will also be a three-day long weekend!
Why do we celebrate the Day of Reconciliation?
The Day of Reconciliation is held annually on 16 December and was first celebrated in 1995.
The holiday came into effect in 1995 after the end of apartheid, with the intention of fostering reconciliation and national unity for the country.
Recognising the need for racial harmony, the government chose the date for its significance to both Afrikaner and indigenous South African cultures.
The celebration of the Day of Reconciliation can take the form of remembering past history, recognising veteran’s contributions, marching, and other festivities.
The origins of the celebration for Afrikaners goes back to the Day of the Vow, which commemorates the Voortrekker victory over the Zulus at the Battle of Blood River on 16 December 1838.
For black and indigenous South Africans, the date marks both peaceful protests against racial injustice and the founding of the Umkhonto we Sizwe paramilitary wing of the African National Congress (ANC) on 16 December 1961.
Nelson Mandela and the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission chose a day that was special to both ethno-racial groups in the country in order to work on healing the damage done by apartheid.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN 2024
South Africa will have 14 public holidays in 2024.
Diarise the following public holidays this year and plan your vacations accordingly!
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
Average compared to other countries
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.
