South Africans will enjoy Tuesday, 27 December 2022, as a public holiday in lieu of Christmas Day falling on a Sunday.
This follows a declaration to this effect by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
In terms of the 2022 annual calendar, Christmas Day, 25 December, falls on a Sunday.
In South Africa, section 2(1) of the Public Holidays Act provides that “whenever a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be a public holiday”.
“In view of the unique circumstances around the 2022 calendar, and to uphold relevant labour law principles and practices, President Ramaphosa has declared Tuesday, 27 December, as a public holiday in lieu of Christmas Day.” read a statement from the office of the president.
In this instance, the Monday following the 25 December 2022 is another public holiday dubbed “Day of Goodwill.”
“If the holiday of Sunday, 25 December were to be moved to Monday, 26 December, this would cancel the holiday of 26 December or cause the two holidays – which are part of 12 paid public holidays annually – to overlap,” read the statement in part.
“This would mean workers would only have 11 paid public holidays in this year, while Section 5 of the Public Holidays Act provides that “… every employee shall be entitled to … at least the number of public holidays as provided for in this Act.”