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

South Africa (Eastern Cape) : complete schedule of public and bank holidays, closure of banks and stock exchanges, school vacations, trade fairs, cultural and sporting events, festivals, carnivals, election during the next 3 months

  • Currency: Rand (ZAR)
  • Internet extension: .za - Telephone code: +27 - International dialing code: 09 - GMT offset: +2 (DST: no)

    BRICS member
  • Weekend: Saturday & Sunday
  • DateNameKindMore
    Saturday december 14, 2024End of school yearSchool holidays
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    Monday december 16, 2024Day of ReconciliationSecular holiday
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    Wednesday december 25, 2024Christmas DayCatholic or protestant
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    Thursday december 26, 2024Day of GoodwillSecular holiday
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    Wednesday january 1, 2025New Year's DaySecular holiday
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    Wednesday january 15, 2025Beginning of school yearSchool holidays
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    Friday march 21, 2025Human Rights DaySecular holiday
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    Friday march 28, 2025First mid-term (beginning)School holidays
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    End of school year

    -
    Saturday december 14, 2024
    School holidays :

    Day of Reconciliation

    -
    Monday december 16, 2024
    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 Day

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    Wednesday december 25, 2024
    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.

    Day of Goodwill

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    Thursday december 26, 2024
    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 Day

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    Wednesday january 1, 2025
    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

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    Wednesday january 15, 2025
    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: 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 (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
    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.

    Human Rights Day

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    Friday march 21, 2025
    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]

    First mid-term (beginning)

    -
    Friday march 28, 2025
    School holidays :