South Africa (Eastern Cape) : public and bank holidays, closure of banks, stock exchanges, school vacations

Secular holiday : All that the people of South Africa inherit: the sum total of wild life and scenic parks, sites of scientific or historical importance, national monuments, historic buildings, works of art, literature and music, oral traditions and museum collections together with their documentation. Not a paid holiday when falling on Saturday or Sunday

Secular holiday : All that the people of South Africa inherit: the sum total of wild life and scenic parks, sites of scientific or historical importance, national monuments, historic buildings, works of art, literature and music, oral traditions and museum collections together with their documentation. Not a paid holiday when falling on Saturday or Sunday

School holidays :

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 Year’s Day on Christmas Day.

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.

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

School holidays : Https://www.kwathabeng.co.za
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: 203 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 (2023) #301-400
University of KwaZulu-Natal ranking: Times Higher Education #501-600/QS ranking #751-450/Shanghai (2023) #501-600

Dates confirmed till Jan 2026

Please note that authorities may take last-minute decisions; please double-check if this information is vital to you
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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]

School holidays :

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.