End of school year
-
Wednesday december 13, 2023
School holidays :
Public holiday
-
Friday december 15, 2023
Secular holiday : In celebration of the Springboks momentous achievement in Paris
Day of Reconciliation
-
Saturday december 16, 2023
Secular holiday : Started in 1994 (at the end of apartheid), to foster national unity between South African communities. Not a paid holiday when falling on Saturday or Sunday
Christmas Eve
-
Sunday december 24, 2023
Culture :
Christmas Day
-
Monday december 25, 2023
Catholic or protestant : Since pre-historic times in Europe, festivities (bonfires, offrerings) were marking the beginning of longer hours of daylight with fires and ritual. The Roman festival of Saturnalia lasted several days in December (gambling and offerings). Germanic tribes also celebrated mid-winter (drinking and rituals). The Bulgarian (with Koleduvane) and the Polish (with Gwiazdka) perpetuate this tradition. Jesus of Nazareth was probably born in springtime (Reformists favour autumn). But in the 4th century, December 25th was chosen for the celebration of his birth by Pope Julius I (Bishop Liberus is also mentioned in 354 A.D.). Thus, a Christian element was introduced in the long-established mid-winter festivals. Before 1582, the Papal States and other Italian city states celebrated New Years Day on Christmas Day.
Day of Goodwill
-
Tuesday december 26, 2023
Secular holiday : Boxing Day was renamed Day of Goodwill in 1994 to split from South Africa's colonial past, and to include all South Africans.
New Year's Eve
-
Sunday december 31, 2023
Culture : Szilveszter
New Year's Day
-
Monday january 1, 2024
Secular holiday : The world's most widely celebrated holiday, New Years was set on January 1 by Julius Caesar because that was the date the Roman consuls took over their duties. Paid holiday when falling on Saturday or Sunday
Beginning of school year
-
Wednesday january 17, 2024
School holidays : Https://www.kwathabeng.co.za
Dates are different in coastal states until 2024
Please scroll to relevant state
official calendar
35% of black Africans, 32% of coloureds, 61% of Indians/Asians and 76% of white citizens have completed high school
number of instructional days per year in lower secondary education: 200 days
Teaching languages: English, Afrikaans, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
schools may remain open on Saturday
school uniforms required
University of Cape Town ranking: Times Higher Education #148/QS ranking #191/Shanghai #201-300
University of the Witwatersrand ranking: Times Higher Education #182/QS ranking #364/Shanghai #201-300
University of KwaZulu-Natal ranking: Times Higher Education #501-600/QS ranking #751-450/Shanghai #401-500
We carry confirmed dates till Jan 2027 Please note that authorities may take last-minute decisions; please double-check if this information is vital to you
Make a Paypal donation of euros 50 to
[email protected] to purchase the full calendar for 5 countries, including South African schools
Contact
[email protected] to purchase a file containing confirmed calendars of 550 countries and regions.
Valentine's Day
-
Wednesday february 14, 2024
cards/flowers : Introduced by Pope Gelasus in 498, perhaps in response to a local Roman tradition of lovers writing their names on an urn in February
Cape Town Cycle Tour
-
Sunday march 10, 2024
Sports events : Cycling race 2024 edition confirmed
First mid-term (beginning)
-
Wednesday march 20, 2024
School holidays :
Human Rights Day
-
Thursday march 21, 2024
Secular holiday : On this day in 1960 the police killed 69 people at Sharpeville who were participating in a protest against the pass laws. Many were shot in the back. The carnage made world headlines. Four days later the government banned black political organizations, many leaders were arrested or went into exile. During the Apartheid era there were human rights abuses by all sides; Human Rights Day is but one step to ensure that the people of South Africa are aware of their human rights and to ensure that such abuses never again occur. [http://africanhistory.about.com]
Good Friday
-
Friday march 29, 2024
Catholic or protestant : The First Council of Nicaea (a gathering of bishops in the early days of Christianity) wanted to find a day to commemorate the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. This commemoration had to be linked to Jewish holiday traditions, since the last supper of Christ was believed to be a Jewish Passover meal. But the Jewish calendar is based on lunar and solar cycles, so the Easter celebration had to follow the same calendar.
Family Day
-
Monday april 1, 2024
Secular holiday : It was typical in South Africa to take a day off of work after Easter. This day, which is also known as Easter Monday, was renamed as Family Day in 1995. This extra day off for the holiday was meant to give families more quality family time together and to allow them to go on vacations with friends and family.
April Fools Day
-
Monday april 1, 2024
cards/flowers : As the story goes, in 1564, France was one of the first nations to make January 1 officially New Year's Day, instead of the last week of March which was previously observed. In 1582, the Pope followed suit. Those who went on celebrating April 1st were mocked. As the zodiacal sign was the fish, The French placed dead fish on the backs of one another. Traditions vary from country to country.
First mid-term (end)
-
Tuesday april 2, 2024
School holidays :
Freedom Day
-
Saturday april 27, 2024
Secular holiday : Commemorates the first post-apartheid elections, where South Africans of all races were freely allowed to determine the future of their newfound democracy. Held in 1994, they saw Nelson Mandela elected as President.
Passover
-
Monday april 29, 2024
cards/flowers : Deliverance of the Jewish people from Egypt. The Seder service on the first two evenings recounts the story of the Exodus
Labour Day
-
Wednesday may 1, 2024
Secular holiday : Chicago, Saturday May 1st, 1886: 350,000 workers go on strike to call for an 8-hour working day. Industries are paralyzed nationwide. On Monday, as demonstrations go on, the police open fire. On Tuesday, Chicago is again on strike. Following a bomb launched against them, the police shoot again. 12 dead, of which 7 policemen. 8 anarchists will be condemned and executed. In 1889, the Socialist International Movement met in Paris and declared this day international workers' day . The Soviets will follow suit, just as the Nazis. In France, under the Vichy regime (1940-1944), the celebration is renamed Labour Day .
Mother's Day
-
Sunday may 12, 2024
cards/flowers :
Fathers' Day
-
Sunday june 16, 2024
cards/flowers :
Youth Day
-
Sunday june 16, 2024
Secular holiday : In 1975 protests started in African schools after a directive from the then Bantu Education Department that Afrikaans had to be used on an equal basis with English as a language of instruction in secondary schools. The issue, however, was not so much the Afrikaans as the whole system of Bantu education which was characterised by separate schools and universities, poor facilities, overcrowded classrooms and inadequately trained teachers. On 16 June 1976 more than 20 000 pupils from Soweto began a protest march. Paid holiday when falling on Saturday or Sunday Previously known as Soweto Day.
Youth Day (forwarded to Monday)
-
Monday june 17, 2024
Secular holiday :
Second mid-term (beginning)
-
Monday june 24, 2024
School holidays :