South Africa Public Holidays 2027: Your Pay and Work Rights Explained
If a public holiday falls on a day you’d normally work and you don’t work, you must still be paid your ordinary wage. If you do work it, you’re entitled to at least double pay, or your normal pay plus what you earned that day whichever is more. Your employer cannot force you to work a public holiday without your agreement. In 2027, two holidays fall on a Sunday and shift an extra day to the Monday, which means any business running Sunday as a normal trading day faces two separate public holiday obligations, not one.
South Africa’s public holidays are set out in the Public Holidays Act, but what you’re actually entitled to be paid or whether you can be made to work at all comes from a different law: Section 18 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA). This page covers the full 2027 holiday list and exactly what your rights are around each one.
South Africa’s 2027 Public Holidays
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Friday | New Year’s Day |
| 21 March | Sunday | Human Rights Day |
| 22 March | Monday | Public holiday (observed) |
| 26 March | Friday | Good Friday |
| 29 March | Monday | Family Day |
| 27 April | Tuesday | Freedom Day |
| 1 May | Saturday | Workers’ Day |
| 16 June | Wednesday | Youth Day |
| 9 August | Monday | National Women’s Day |
| 24 September | Friday | Heritage Day |
| 16 December | Thursday | Day of Reconciliation |
| 25 December | Saturday | Christmas Day |
| 26 December | Sunday | Day of Goodwill |
| 27 December | Monday | Public holiday (observed) |
Want to know what each date actually commemorates? See our 2027 Calendar, Every Public Holiday Explained. For long-weekend planning, see our 2027 Calendar and School Terms guide.
Do You Get Paid for a Public Holiday?
Yes, if it falls on a day you’d normally work. Section 18 of the BCEA sets out three separate scenarios, and which one applies to you depends on whether the holiday lands on your usual working day and whether you actually work it:
| Situation | You’re Entitled To |
|---|---|
| Holiday falls on your normal working day, and you don’t work | Your ordinary daily wage, as if you had worked |
| Holiday falls on your normal working day, and you do work | At least double your normal wage for that day, or your normal wage plus what you earned working whichever is greater |
| Holiday falls on a day you don’t normally work, and you do work | Your normal hourly rate for the hours actually worked, on top of anything else you’re owed |
These rules apply to all employees permanent, temporary, fixed-term, project-based, and those paid on commission with only narrow exceptions set out in Section 18(3) of the Act. If you earn above the current BCEA earnings threshold, some of these protections may not apply to you in the same way; check your specific employment contract if you’re unsure.
Can Your Employer Force You to Work a Public Holiday?
No, not without your agreement. Section 18(1) of the BCEA states an employer may not require an employee to work a public holiday except by agreement this is usually a clause already in your employment contract, but it can also be a specific once-off agreement for a particular date. The main exception is urgent, unforeseen work that genuinely cannot wait and cannot be done during ordinary hours.
By mutual agreement, a public holiday can also be swapped for a different day. If you work the actual public holiday under this kind of arrangement, you’re paid your normal rate for that day, and you get a full paid day off on the agreed alternative date instead of the holiday-rate premium.
The 2027 Sunday Situation: Two Holidays, Not One
Two 2027 holidays fall on a Sunday Human Rights Day (21 March) and the Day of Goodwill (26 December) which automatically creates a public holiday on the following Monday as well. Courts have confirmed that what matters legally is the calendar date, not which day of the week it lands on: the Sunday itself is still a full public holiday in its own right, separate from the substituted Monday.
For most employees this changes nothing, since Sunday usually isn’t a normal working day anyway. But if you work in retail, hospitality, healthcare, security, or any other sector where Sunday is a scheduled working day, this matters: your employer may owe public holiday pay for both the Sunday and the Monday around these two dates in 2027, not just one. If you regularly work Sundays, it’s worth flagging this with your employer or payroll department ahead of time rather than after the fact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do casual or part-time workers get public holiday pay?
Section 18 applies to casual, temporary and seasonal workers on the same basis as permanent employees. If the holiday falls on a day you’d normally be scheduled to work, the same pay rules apply.
What if I refuse to work a public holiday I’m scheduled for?
If you haven’t previously agreed (in your contract or otherwise) to work public holidays, you’re entitled to refuse. If you have agreed, refusing without a valid reason could be treated as any other unauthorised absence.
Is “double pay” always exactly double my hourly rate?
Generally yes for the hours worked, but the Act requires whichever is greater between double pay and your normal wage plus your actual earnings for the day in most standard cases these work out to the same amount, but check your specific payslip calculation if the figures look off.
What can I do if my employer isn’t paying me correctly for public holidays?
Raise it with your employer or HR department first. If it isn’t resolved, you can lodge a complaint with the Department of Employment and Labour or refer a dispute to the CCMA.
See our Labour & Employment section for related guides.
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