Working South Africans will not get a day off to celebrate National Women’s Day in 2025 because the public holiday falls on a Saturday.
The Public Holidays Act (Act No 36 of 1994) determines that whenever any public holiday falls on a Sunday, the Monday following it will also be a public holiday.
However, for public holidays that fall on a Saturday, it’s just a ‘normal’ weekend day.
And that’s exactly the case for Women’s Day on 9 August 2025.
WHY DO WE CELEBRATE NATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY?
National Women’s Day is a South African public holiday celebrated annually on 9 August.
The day commemorates the 1956 march of approximately 20 000 women to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to petition against the country’s pass laws that required South Africans defined as “black” under The Population Registration Act to carry an internal passport, known as a passbook, that served to maintain population segregation, control urbanisation, and manage migrant labour during the apartheid era.
The march was led by Lillian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa and Sophia Williams.
Other participants included Frances Baard, a statue of whom was unveiled by Northern Cape Premier Hazel Jenkins in Kimberley (Frances Baard District Municipality) on National Women’s Day 2009.
The first National Women’s Day was celebrated on 9 August 1995.
In 2006, a reenactment of the march was staged for its 50th anniversary, with many of the 1956 march veterans.
More long weekends
Meanwhile, although South Africans will enjoy one fewer public holiday next year, there will be more long weekends in 2025 than in 2024.
As reported by The South African website, Mzansi will have 14 public holidays in 2024 – the next of which falls on Tuesday, 24 September when Heritage Day is celebrated.
Included in that list of 14 public holidays are two ‘extra’ days thanks to Voting day on Wednesday, 29 May, and an observation day for Youth Day, which fell on a Sunday (16 June) this year.
In 2025 there will only be one ‘extra’ public holiday for Freedom Day (Sunday, 27 April) meaning that Monday, 28 April will be a holiday.
There will be no Voting day (that we are aware of …)
This means that South Africa will have 13 days of public holidays next year, but only 12 will be actual days off work.
The fewer days off, the better for business in the country.
Long weekend bonanza
The exciting news is that there are FIVE long weekends in 2025.
The first is thanks to Human Rights Day on Friday, 21 March giving South Africans 21-23 March off.
The second is the Easter weekend with a four-day 18-21 April break to enjoy your chocolate.
The third is thanks to Freedom Day falling on Sunday, 27 April, meaning Monday, 28 April is a holiday – and another three-day weekend.
Monday, 16 June (Youth Day) will mean another three-day long weekend in mid-year, while the fifth and final long weekend in another four-day one with Christmas and the Day of Goodwill (Boxing Day) falling on a Thursday and Friday, respectively.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN 2025
Diarise the following public holidays this year and plan your vacations accordingly!
Wednesday, 1 January: New Year’s Day
Friday, 21 March: Human Rights Day
Friday, 18 April: Good Friday
Monday, 21 April: Family Day
Sunday, 27 April: Freedom Day
Monday, 28 April: Public holiday for Freedom Day observed
Thursday, 1 May: Workers’ Day
Monday, 16 June: Youth Day
Saturday, 9 August: National Women’s Day (lost)
Wednesday, 24 September: Heritage Day
Tuesday, 16 December: Day of Reconciliation
Thursday, 25 December: Christmas Day
Friday, 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.
Work or play? What do long weekends mean to you?
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