Free · No sign-up · Works on any device
Make the most of South Africa's public holidays
Find out exactly when to take your leave days in 2026 — and 2027 — to unlock the longest possible breaks for you and your family.
South Africa has 12 public holidays a year. With a little planning, those days can stretch into proper holidays. Leave Days does the maths for you, for free, right here on this page.
How Leave Days works
Three simple steps to your best year of breaks yet.
1. Tell us about your leave
Enter the number of annual leave days you have available for the year. Most employees get between 15 and 21 days — use whatever your contract says.
2. Choose your province
Select your province so the planner can include the correct school holiday dates. South Africa's nine provinces each have their own school calendar — we use the official Department of Basic Education schedule.
3. Get your personalised plan
Leave Days maps every public holiday, spots the best gaps to bridge, suggests longer breaks around Easter, Freedom Day, Workers' Day, and December, and tells you exactly how many leave days each option uses — and how many you have left.
Longer breaks, not just bridges
We don't only look for single-day bridges. We find multi-day combinations that unlock week-long or two-week breaks, so you can plan a real family holiday — not just a long weekend.
School holidays included
Toggle school holidays on or off. When they're on, the planner highlights opportunities that align your leave with your children's school terms, so the whole family can travel together.
Always up to date
Public holiday dates are calculated directly from South African law and official proclamations. When a holiday falls on a Sunday, the Monday is automatically shown as the observed day off.
Plan my leave
Use the planner below to find the smartest way to spend your annual leave in 2026 or 2027. Select your province, enter your available leave days, and choose whether to line up your breaks with school holidays. The planner will show you every public holiday on a calendar, then suggest the best leave combinations — from long weekends to full week-long breaks — and keep a running total of the leave days you have left.
School holiday dates follow each province's official Department of Basic Education calendar. The national public holidays are the same for everyone.
Your best leave opportunities
Frequently asked questions
Is Leave Days free to use?
Yes, completely. Leave Days is a free public service. There is no sign-up, no subscription, and no catch. Everything runs in your browser — no data you enter is ever sent anywhere.
Where do the public holiday dates come from?
South Africa's public holidays are set by the Public Holidays Act 36 of 1994. The dates are calculated directly in the planner according to that law. When a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed as the public holiday — the planner handles this automatically.
Why do I need to choose my province?
Each of South Africa's nine provinces has its own school term calendar, published by the Department of Basic Education. By selecting your province, the planner can show the correct school holiday dates and flag which leave breaks align with your children's time off school.
Are the school holiday dates official?
The school holiday dates in the planner are based on the Department of Basic Education's official annual school calendar. Dates can occasionally change due to government proclamation. Always confirm the final dates on the official DBE website or your child's school notice before booking travel.
What does 'bridge days' mean?
A bridge day is a working day that sits between a public holiday (or weekend) and another public holiday (or weekend). Taking that day as annual leave 'bridges' the gap and creates a longer unbroken stretch of days off. For example, if a public holiday falls on a Thursday, taking Friday as leave gives you a four-day weekend for the cost of one leave day.
Does the planner only suggest single bridge days?
No. The planner looks for all kinds of opportunities — from single bridge days that create long weekends, to multi-day combinations that unlock week-long or two-week breaks. It always highlights the big South African leave sweet spots: Easter, the Freedom Day–Workers' Day window, and the December holiday period.
What if I don't have enough leave days for all the suggestions?
The planner keeps a running total of your leave days. If the suggestions add up to more than you have available, it flags the ones that push you over your limit with a warning. You can then choose which breaks matter most to you.
Can I use this for 2027 as well?
Yes. Use the year selector at the top of the planner to switch between 2026 and 2027. All public holidays and school holiday dates update automatically.
Does this work on my phone?
Yes. Leave Days is fully responsive and works on any smartphone, tablet, or computer. The calendar and suggestions adapt to your screen size automatically.
Who built this?
Leave Days is built and maintained as a demonstration of what modern web tools can do for everyday South Africans. It is an example of a free, useful, no-login public service page — and proof that helpful digital tools don't have to be complicated or expensive.
Ready to plan your best year of leave yet?
Jump straight into the planner — no sign-up, no cost, no fuss. Just your leave days, planned properly.
Go to the planner