South Africans will not be receiving an additional day off work this week, as National Women’s Day falls on a Saturday this year. This results in the public missing out on a public holiday that would typically provide a weekday break. The loss of a weekday public holiday has sparked frustration among workers who rely on these days to rest, travel, or catch up on personal responsibilities.
Key Takeaways
- No Replacement Day for Women’s Day 2025: National Women’s Day falls on a Saturday this year, meaning South Africans will not receive an additional weekday off. Unlike Sundays, public holidays on Saturdays are not carried over to Monday.
- Economic and Legal Implications: While fewer public holidays may benefit certain industries by reducing operational costs, labour laws still require double pay for employees working on public holidays. Proposed legislative amendments aim to clarify these pay requirements.
- Tourism and Worker Wellbeing at Stake: Although businesses may save money, public holidays contribute to tourism spending and help prevent employee burnout. The loss of a weekday holiday could affect both worker morale and local economies.
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One Less Holiday Compared to 2024
In 2024, South Africans benefited from a total of 13 public holidays. This was one more than usual, made possible by the inclusion of an extra public holiday due to the national elections held on 29 May. Election day was officially declared a public holiday to allow citizens to participate in the democratic process. Many workers strategically planned their leave around this unexpected break, enjoying a rare midweek pause that allowed them to recharge.
Youth Day in 2024 landed on Sunday, 16 June, but South Africans still received a day off the following Monday. This is in line with current legislation that protects workers’ rights when a public holiday coincides with a Sunday. This type of substitution is particularly appreciated by employees who are already navigating high work stress, long hours, and limited leave days.
How the Public Holidays Act Works
According to the country’s Public Holidays Act, whenever a public holiday occurs on a Sunday, the following Monday must be observed as a public holiday. This legal provision ensures that workers do not lose out on a day of rest. However, the Act does not provide the same benefit when a public holiday falls on a Saturday, resulting in no replacement day and, effectively, a lost day off for workers. This legal technicality has become a recurring point of contention among labour unions and workers’ rights groups, who view it as outdated and unfair to those who work a traditional Monday to Friday week.
No Replacement Day for Women’s Day This Year
This specific rule applies to the current situation, as National Women’s Day, which is commemorated on 9 August each year, falls on a Saturday in 2025. Consequently, there will be no substitute public holiday on the following Monday, meaning that South Africans will miss out on what could have been an additional day off work. Social media platforms have already seen an outpouring of disappointment, with many questioning why Saturday holidays are treated differently from Sundays.
Fewer Weekday Breaks in 2025
Although South Africa still has 12 official public holidays for 2025, only 11 of these fall on weekdays. This results in one fewer weekday break compared to 2024, once the election-related public holiday from last year is excluded from the comparison. With the pressures of the cost-of-living crisis and increased work demands, many workers were hoping for more time off, not less.
While many workers who plan their leave around long weekends may feel disappointed by the reduced number of weekday public holidays, others believe this could be a net positive for the broader economy. Fewer days off can result in uninterrupted productivity, particularly in sectors where operations must continue daily. Economists, however, remain divided; some argue that reduced holidays may actually harm overall morale and long-term performance, particularly in sectors that rely on high employee engagement.
Business Leaders See Upside in Fewer Holidays
Some members of the business community may even welcome the reduction in time off, as fewer public holidays could translate into increased working hours and greater output. Industries such as logistics, manufacturing, and mining often face operational disruptions during public holidays, which can affect both efficiency and financial performance. Business lobby groups have long maintained that the number of public holidays should be reduced to better align with global productivity standards.
It has been argued that South Africa’s relatively high number of public holidays contributes to reduced productivity in sectors that rely on constant output. Businesses are either forced to halt operations or absorb additional costs by compensating employees at higher rates for working on these days. A report issued by the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry previously estimated that each public holiday results in billions of rands in lost productivity for the national economy. This estimate is based on full or partial shutdowns of operations, missed deadlines, and delayed deliveries across critical value chains.
Increased Labour Costs for Operating on Public Holidays
For employers who continue operations on public holidays, the financial burden is also significant. Labour laws require these employers to pay staff more for work done on a public holiday, increasing wage costs and, in some cases, impacting profitability. Small and medium-sized businesses are particularly vulnerable, often struggling to absorb these additional costs without raising prices or reducing staffing levels.
Current Rules Around Public Holiday Pay
Section 18 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) outlines how employees should be paid for work performed on public holidays. If a public holiday lands on a normal working day and the employee takes the day off, the employer must pay them at least their standard wage for the day. If the employee is required to work, the employer is legally obliged to pay them either double their regular daily wage or their normal pay plus their earnings for the actual hours worked on that day, whichever total is higher.
The rule is intended to fairly compensate employees for sacrificing time that would otherwise be spent with family or resting.
Applying the current law, any employees who are required to work on Saturday, 9 August 2025, when National Women’s Day is commemorated, must still be paid at least double their usual wage for that day, even though no substitute day off will be granted. Retail, hospitality, and healthcare workers are among those most likely to be affected, as many operate on weekends and during public holidays.
Possible Changes to Public Holiday Pay Laws
The Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour is now reviewing potential amendments to the laws governing public holiday pay. The goal is to ensure greater clarity in how the provisions are interpreted and applied, particularly when it comes to determining which payment option offers the best outcome for employees. These discussions are part of broader labour reform efforts aimed at modernising South Africa’s employment legislation to reflect today’s workplace realities.
Last month, the committee flagged concerns over the lack of clarity in the current wording of Section 18(2)(b)(ii) of the BCEA. Members specifically highlighted that the term “the greater” used in the provision was not clearly defined. There were fears that this ambiguity might lead to interpretations that disadvantage workers by denying them the most favourable pay option when they are required to work on public holidays. Union representatives have warned that unless the clause is clarified, employers may exploit the wording to avoid paying fair rates.
Although there have not yet been any formal legal disputes relating to this issue, the committee described the existing clause as being semantically ambiguous. They argued that the Act should be amended to explicitly confirm that workers are entitled to the most beneficial pay structure available, which should always include double pay as the minimum standard. The committee has also proposed public awareness campaigns to ensure that workers know their rights when it comes to public holiday pay.
Support for Legislative Clarification
The Department of Employment and Labour has expressed support for these proposed changes. The department’s deputy director-general, Thembinkosi Mkalipi, informed the committee that there were no objections to tightening the language in the BCEA. Doing so would help eliminate uncertainty and ensure that both employers and employees understand their rights and responsibilities clearly in future scenarios. By closing these legal gaps early, lawmakers hope to avoid future litigation that could tie up labour courts and cause confusion across sectors.
Although a reduction in public holidays may temporarily ease wage-related costs for businesses, it is important to recognise the broader benefits that time off provides. Studies have shown that regular rest and recovery can prevent employee burnout, support mental health, and even enhance productivity over the long term by ensuring a more energised and engaged workforce. Countries with generous leave policies often report higher job satisfaction and lower turnover, which ultimately benefits the economy.
Public Holidays Are Good for Local Tourism
Public holidays also contribute positively to the tourism and hospitality sectors, as they often trigger increased spending. Long weekends encourage South Africans to travel, stay in hotels, dine at restaurants, and visit attractions. This influx of activity generates significant income for local businesses and helps stimulate economic growth in towns and cities across the country. For many small tourist towns, these holiday weekends can account for a large portion of their annual revenue.
According to data published by Statistics South Africa, public holidays that occur during busy travel seasons are closely linked with spikes in spending at hotels, eateries, and popular destinations. These patterns demonstrate that public holidays can serve as an important economic driver for specific sectors, particularly in regions that rely on domestic tourism. The ripple effects extend to fuel sales, entertainment venues, and even roadside vendors, creating a broader economic uplift that cannot be ignored.
Conclusion
South Africa’s 2025 public holiday calendar delivers a slight blow to workers hoping for long weekends, as Women’s Day lands on a Saturday with no substitute day off. While some sectors welcome the continuity in operations, the impact on workers’ time off, tourism activity, and overall productivity balance is more nuanced. Lawmakers are also moving to ensure that employees working on public holidays are compensated fairly, as ambiguity in existing legislation has raised concerns. The issue reflects the broader debate between economic output and worker wellbeing, with both sides pushing for a fairer and more modern approach.
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