How you can turn 20 days of leave into 47 days off work in 2025

In South Africa, a typical formally employed worker is entitled to 20 days of annual leave in addition to public holidays.

For many employees, planning to leave around public holidays is a strategic way to maximise time off while minimising the use of leave days.

In 2025, South Africans will have ‘one fewer’ public holidays compared to previous years, but there are still multiple opportunities to take advantage of long weekends, providing plenty of scope to stretch those 20 leave days into extended vacations.

By carefully planning around the country’s 12 public holidays, workers can enjoy 47 days of time off while using just 20 leave days, making 2025 a year with more long weekends despite the reduction in holidays.

In 2025, while there is one ‘extra’ public holiday in the offing for observing Freedom Day (27 April and 28 April), this is counter-acted by one of the other public holidays next year falling on a Saturday (Women’s Day, 9 August).

Public holidays that fall on a Saturday do not get the observation day as with Sunday holidays—meaning South Africans will have one fewer day off (two if you count the fact there will be no bonus like election day).

This means that South Africa will, in effect, have a flat 12 days of public holidays next year—no freebies.

Planning your annual leave strategically can turn South Africa’s 2025 public holidays into long, refreshing breaks.

By optimising 20 days of leave, you can enjoy up to 47 days off, combining weekends, public holidays, and leave days.

Here’s a guide to making the most of your time off next year.

1. A Long Human Rights Day Weekend – 4 Days Off

• Public Holiday: Friday, 21 March (Human Rights Day)
• Leave Needed: 1 day (Monday, 24 March)
• Break: 21 March (Friday) to 24 March (Monday)
• Total Days Off: 4 days

A single day of leave after Human Rights Day creates a relaxing four-day weekend.

2. Extend Easter Into a Full Week – 11 Days Off

• Public Holidays:
  • Friday, 18 April (Good Friday)
  • Monday, 21 April (Family Day)
• Leave Needed: 4 days (Tuesday, 22 April to Friday, 25 April)
• Break: 18 April (Friday) to 27 April (Sunday)
• Total Days Off: 11 days

Easter’s back-to-back public holidays provide the perfect opportunity to take four leave days and enjoy an 11-day vacation.

3. Youth Day Escape – 6 Days Off

• Public Holiday: Monday, 16 June (Youth Day)
• Leave Needed: 3 days (Thursday, 12 June, Friday, 13 June, and Tuesday, 17 June)
• Break: 12 June (Thursday) to 17 June (Tuesday)
• Total Days Off: 6 days

Extend the Youth Day public holiday into a six-day break by taking two leave days.

4. Heritage Day Midweek Break – 8 Days Off

• Public Holiday: Wednesday, 24 September (Heritage Day)
• Leave Needed: 5 days (Wednesday, 17 September to Tuesday, 23 September)
• Break: 17 September (Wednesday) to 24 September (Wednesday)
• Total Days Off: 8 days

Take two leave days before Heritage Day for an eight-day spring break.

5. Year-End Festivities – 16 Days Off

• Public Holidays:
  • Thursday, 25 December (Christmas Day)
  • Friday, 26 December (Day of Goodwill)
• Leave Needed: 7 days (Monday, 15 December to Wednesday, 24 December)
• Break: 13 December (Saturday) to 29 December (Monday)
• Total Days Off: 16 days

Combine your leave days with the festive public holidays for an extended 16-day year-end break.

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