Youth Day: Long weekend loading for South Africa
South Africans are mere hours away from another long weekend – and a short week next week.
Those who like to diarise public holidays well in advance will no doubt be well aware that the next official day off work is Monday, 16 June when Youth Day will be celebrated.
Youth Day is the day on which South Africans honour the youth that were ambushed by the apartheid regime police in Soweto on 16 June 1976.
On the day over 500 youths were killed.
On the morning of 16 June 1976, thousands of black students went on a protest rally from their schools to Orlando Stadium.
They were protesting against an official order which made Afrikaans compulsory in black township schools throughout the country.
The use of local languages was prohibited in these schools whilst the constitution supported that Afrikaans and English be made the official languages of the country.
The rally was meant to be a peaceful protest with the intentions to plea with government not to make Afrikaans compulsory in schools.
However, things got out of control when the police were called in to disperse the crowds and riots broke out.
Although the protests of 16 June 1976 resulted in a number of casualties, the youth of 1976 played a role in fighting and overcoming the inequality and oppression caused by apartheid.
Following the advent of democracy in 1994, the new democratic government declared 16 June as National Youth Day and June as Youth Month.
Although South Africans will enjoy fewer public holidays in 2025, there will be more long weekends this year than in 2024.
Mzansi had 14 public holidays in 2024, but there will only be 13 days this year – and only 12 will be actual days off work.
Of course, the fewer days off, the better for business in the country.
Working South Africans will not get a day off to celebrate National Women's Day in 2025 because the public holiday falls on Saturday, 9 August.
The Public Holidays Act (Act No 36 of 1994) determines that whenever any public holiday falls on a Sunday , the Monday following it will also be a public holiday.
However, for public holidays that fall on a Saturday , it's just a 'normal' weekend day.
The exciting news is that there are FIVE long weekends in 2025.
The first was thanks to Human Rights Day on Friday, 21 March which gave South Africans 21-23 March off.
The second was the Easter weekend with a four-day 18-21 April break to enjoy your chocolate.
The third was thanks to Freedom Day falling on Sunday, 27 April, meaning Monday, 28 April was a holiday – and another three-day weekend.
Monday, 16 June (Youth Day) will mean another three-day long weekend in mid-year, while the fifth and final long weekend in another four-day one with Christmas and the Day of Goodwill (Boxing Day) falling on a Thursday and Friday, respectively.
Diarise the following public holidays in 2025 and plan your vacations accordingly!
Wednesday, 1 January: New Year's Day
Friday, 21 March: Human Rights Day
Friday, 18 April: Good FridayMonday, 21 April: Family Day
Sunday, 27 April: Freedom Day
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