The current and proposed school holidays for South Africa.
2020
2021
2020
National State of Disaster
As announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 15 March:
Schools will be closed from Wednesday, 18 March, and will remain closed until after the Easter Weekend.
To compensate, the mid-year school holidays will be shortened by a week. (https://www.gov.za/speeches/statement-president-cyril-ramaphosa-measures-combat-covid-19-epidemic-15-mar-2020-0000)
The Department of Basic Education has published the school calendar for 2020 on 11 January 2018.
Term | Duration | Number of weeks | Number of days | Number of public holidays | Actual number of school days |
1 | (13) 15 Jan - 20 Mar | 10 | 48 (50) | 0 | 48 (50) |
2 | 31 Mar – 12 Jun | 11 | 54 | 4 | 50 |
3 | 7 Jul – 18 Sep | 11 | 54 | 1 | 53 |
4 | 29 Sep – 2 (4)Dec | 10 | 47 (49) | 0 | 47 (49) |
| Total | 42 | 203 (207) | 5 | 198 (202) |
Public and School Holidays 2020
1 January: New Year’s Day
21 March: Human Rights Day
10 April: Good Friday
13 April: Family Day
27 April: Freedom Day
1 May: Workers’ Day
16 June: Youth Day
9 August: National Women’s Day
10 August: Public Holiday
24 September: Heritage Day
16 December: Day of Reconciliation
25 December: Christmas Day
26 December: Day of Goodwill
Source: National Education Policy Act: 2020 school calendar for public schools [PDF]
2021
The Department of Basic Education has published the school calendar for 2021 on 30 October 2019.
Term | Duration | Number of weeks | Number of days | Number of public holidays | Actual number of school days |
1 | (11) 13 Jan - 26 Mar | 11 | 53 (55) | 1 | 52 (54) |
2 | 13 Apr – 25 Jun | 11 | 54 | 2+1 | 51 |
3 | 20 Jul – 01 Oct | 11 | 54 | 2 | 52 |
4 | 12 Oct – 08 (10) Dec | 09 | 42 (44) | 0 | 42 (44) |
| Total | 42 | 203 (207) | 5+1 | 197 (201) |
Public and School Holidays 2021
1 January: New Year’s Day
21 March: Human Rights Day
22 March: Public Holiday
02 April: Good Friday
05 April: Family Day
27 April: Freedom Day
26 April: School Holiday
1 May: Workers’ Day
16 June: Youth Day
9 August: National Women’s Day
24 September: Heritage Day
16 December: Day of Reconciliation
25 December: Christmas Day
26 December: Day of Goodwill
Source: National Education Policy Act: 2021 school calendar for public schools [PDF]