When is South Africa's next public holiday?

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As the year draws to a close, South Africans will no doubt be checking their calendars for the next day off work.

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.

That means there will also be a three-day long weekend!

Following shortly thereafter, Christmas Day (25 December) falls on a Wednesday, with the Day of Goodwill (also known as Boxing Day), on Thursday, 26 December.

Apply for leave on Friday, 27 December and you can enjoy a nice five-day break!

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.