Here's how to maximise South Africa's public holidays in 2025

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South Africans are filtering back to work in the New Year and no doubt already turning their attention to all the available public holidays in 2025.

With the handy tips we’ll share below, you’ll be able to secure one-month off from work by using just 13 of your mandated leave days.

Because you’re worth maximising your time off to recharge your batteries properly, reports Business Tech.

Curiously enough, there will be fewer public holidays in 2025 than this year.

Just 12 in 2025.

However, unlike this year, 2025’s dates fall more favourably for taking advantage of long weekends.

2025 does offer up one ‘extra’ public holiday by observing Freedom Day on Monday 28 April.

However, we effectively lose Women’s Day on 9 August because it falls on a Saturday.

Nevertheless, let’s get into the nitty gritty of it … �

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN 2025

DATE	DAY	HOLIDAY	LEAVE POTENTIAL
1 January	Wednesday	New Year’s Day �	Nil
21 March�	Friday	Human Rights Day�	Long weekend
18 April�	Friday	Good Friday	Long weekend
21 April	Monday	Family Day	Long weekend
27 April�	Sunday	Freedom Day	Observed on 28/04
1 May	Thursday	Workers’ Day�	Yes
16 June	Monday	Youth Day	Long weekend
9 August	Saturday	National Women’s Day	Nil
24 September	Wednesday	Heritage Day �	Nil
16 December	Tuesday	Day of Reconciliation�	Yes
25 December	Thursday	Christmas Day	Long weekend
26 December	Friday	Day of Goodwill	Long weekend

*data from calendar.com

BOOK YOUR 2025 LEAVE NOW

2025 promises to be a great year for downtime in Mzansi, assuming your manage yourself well. Image: File

To fully exploit public holidays in 2025, in our opinion, employees should focus their efforts on the Easter and December holiday periods.

Taking off from Tuesday 22 Aprilto Friday 2 Maycreates a 17-day vacation spanning three weekends for just seven days of leave.

Likewise, you’ll be able to join the Day of Reconciliation Tuesday 16 Decemberto Christmas Day on Thursday 25 Decemberby using six-days leave, to enjoy 13 days off over two weekends.

There you have it: 30 days off from just 13 days leave.

Make it happen before your other colleagues do and you’re stuck in the office all alone …