Politics

Monday, August 10, Declared Public Holiday: Government Announces Reason

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South Africans will get their first bonus public holiday next week, with Monday, 10 August 2026 becoming an additional day off after National Women’s Day falls on Sunday, 9 August.

The extra day is automatic under the Public Holidays Act 36 of 1994. Section 2(1) of the Act reads: “The days mentioned in Schedule 1 shall be public holidays, and whenever any public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be a public holiday.”

Both days retain their status, meaning Sunday remains a public holiday and Monday becomes an additional paid public holiday on top of it.

This interpretation was confirmed by the Labour Appeal Court in Randfontein Estates Ltd v National Union of Mineworkers, where the court found that the Monday holiday exists “in addition to” the Sunday public holiday rather than replacing it.

The Act treats Saturdays differently. When a public holiday falls on a Saturday, no extra day is granted and the holiday is observed only on the Saturday itself. There is no equivalent provision triggering a Friday or Monday off in those cases.

The legislation also gives employers and workers some room to adjust how public holidays are observed.

Under Section 2(2), an official public holiday can be swapped for a different agreed day, provided both the employer and employee consent to the arrangement.

The announcement came after questions arose about whether the election could disrupt matric examinations, given that many schools double as voting stations.

Parliament’s Standing Committee on Appropriations chairperson Mmusi Maimane said the IEC had already worked through the concern.

“The IEC replied that through consultation with the Department of Basic Education, there will be minimal disruptions to matriculants as the day will be designated as a public holiday,” Maimane said.

Ramaphosa noted that Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa supported the date partly because it falls outside the festive season, which is expected to improve voter turnout and limit the impact on schools.

Before the November holiday becomes official, two formal steps are still required. Hlabisa must first proclaim the election date in the Government Gazette, after which Ramaphosa is expected to issue a separate proclamation declaring the day a public holiday closer to the election.