South Africans will enjoy one fewer public holiday in 2025 than in 2024. This is because 29 May, the day of the 2024 National Elections, was declared a public holiday.
This year, only one public holiday, Freedom Day on 27 April, fell on a Saturday, which means it was not observed. However, this is not bad news. More workdays benefit South Africa’s economy by increasing the country’s gross domestic product . This can be costly for business owners, especially in industries like retail, which has been suffering due to the lacklustre South African economy.
The only exception is if the worker neglects to inform the employer of their absence or provide evidence that they were ill.There is a debate about the impact of public holidays on the economy and businesses, but there is no clear consensus on the exact impact.