Public Holiday Pay in South Africa: December 2026 Guide

Short answer: In South Africa, if you work on a public holiday that would normally be one of your working days, your employer must pay you at least double your normal pay for that day (section 18 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act). If you don't work on that holiday, you still get your normal day's pay. If the holiday falls on a day you would not normally work and you agree to come in, you get your ordinary daily wage plus pay for the hours you work. Your employer can only make you work on a public holiday if you have agreed to it.

With the Day of Reconciliation (16 December), Christmas Day (25 December), the Day of Goodwill (26 December) and New Year's Day (1 January) coming up, this guide explains in plain language what you are owed, with worked examples, and what to do if your payslip looks wrong.

Festive season public holidays 2026/27: the dates

Wednesday, 16 December 2026 – Day of Reconciliation
Friday, 25 December 2026 – Christmas Day
Saturday, 26 December 2026 – Day of Goodwill
Friday, 1 January 2027 – New Year's Day

Under the Public Holidays Act, when a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday becomes a public holiday. None of these four holidays falls on a Sunday this time, so there is no extra "Monday off" over this festive season. Note that the Day of Goodwill lands on a Saturday – whether that counts as a normal working day depends on your own work schedule (see below).

The three public holiday pay rules (BCEA section 18)

1. You can't be forced to work on a public holiday

Your employer may only require you to work on a public holiday "in accordance with an agreement". That agreement is often in your employment contract, a collective agreement or a shift roster you have accepted. If there is no agreement, you can decline. The Public Holidays Act also allows you and your employer to agree to swap a public holiday for another day.

2. Holiday falls on your normal working day

You don't work: you must be paid at least the wage you would normally have earned for that day. It may not be treated as an unpaid day.
You do work: you must be paid at least double your normal pay for that day, or, if it works out higher, your normal day's pay plus what you earned for the time you actually worked.

3. Holiday falls on a day you would NOT normally work

If you agree to work on a public holiday that isn't one of your usual working days (for example, a Monday-to-Friday worker coming in on Saturday 26 December), you must be paid your ordinary daily wage plus the amount you earn for the work you do that day.

Other details in the Act

Public holiday pay must be paid on your usual pay day, not later.
If a shift runs across a public holiday and another day, the whole shift counts as worked on the public holiday – unless most of the shift was worked on the other day, in which case the whole shift counts as worked on that other day.

Worked examples

These examples use an illustrative ordinary daily wage of R400 (8 hours at R50 an hour). Use your own rate to work out your figures.

Thandi works Monday to Friday and is off on Wednesday 16 December. It is her normal working day, so she must still be paid her ordinary day's pay: R400.
Sipho, a retail assistant, normally works Fridays and works a full 8-hour shift on Christmas Day. He must get at least double: R800 for that day.
Lerato normally works Fridays but only works 4 hours on 1 January. Double her normal day is R800; her normal day plus 4 hours' earnings is R400 + R200 = R600. The Act says she gets whichever is higher, so she is owed at least R800.
Johan works Monday to Friday but agrees to work 6 hours on Saturday 26 December. Saturday is not his normal working day, so he gets his ordinary daily wage plus pay for the hours worked: R400 + (6 × R50) = R700.

These are minimums. Your contract, a bargaining council agreement or a sectoral determination may give you more, and your employer can always pay more than the law requires.

Who is not covered by these rules?

The working-time chapter of the BCEA, which includes public holiday pay, does not apply to:

Senior managerial employees.
Sales staff who travel to customers and set their own working hours.
People who work fewer than 24 hours a month for that employer.

In addition, if you earn more than the BCEA earnings threshold of R269 600.90 a year (in force from 1 May 2026, roughly R22 467 a month), the rule on extra pay for working on a public holiday (section 18(3)) does not automatically apply to you. Your pay for public holidays then depends on your contract, and better terms already in your contract still stand. Lower earners – including most retail, hospitality, security, call-centre and general workers – are fully covered.

Common payslip problems to look out for

Holiday shown as unpaid when it fell on your normal working day and you didn't work.
Only single time paid for a public holiday shift that fell on your normal working day.
Pay delayed to a later pay run instead of your usual pay day.
"You must work or lose your job" with no agreement in place to work public holidays.

What to do if you're underpaid

Check your contract and roster to confirm which days are your normal working days and whether you agreed to work public holidays.
Work out what you are owed using the rules and examples above, and compare it with your payslip.
Raise it in writing with your supervisor, HR or payroll and keep a copy. Many errors are payroll mistakes that get fixed quickly.
Ask your union or shop steward for help if you belong to one.
Escalate if it isn't resolved: you can visit a labour centre of the Department of Employment and Labour to lodge a complaint with a labour inspector, or seek help from the CCMA.

Working over the festive season?

December is peak hiring time for retail, warehousing, hospitality and security. If you're looking for seasonal work, read our guide to festive season jobs in South Africa, check the current national minimum wage so you know your hourly floor, and see how tax affects your pay in our PAYE take-home pay guide. Security officers can also compare rates in our security guard salary guide.

FAQs

Do I get paid for a public holiday if I don't work?

Yes, if the public holiday falls on a day you would normally work. Your employer must pay you at least what you would normally have earned for that day.

Is public holiday pay double time in South Africa?

If the holiday is one of your normal working days and you work, you get at least double your normal day's pay, or your normal day's pay plus earnings for the hours worked if that is higher. If it isn't a normal working day, you get your ordinary daily wage plus pay for the hours worked.

Can my employer force me to work on Christmas Day?

No. Under the BCEA, an employer may only require you to work on a public holiday in accordance with an agreement. Check your contract or any collective agreement, since many shift-based jobs include one.

Is 26 December 2026 a public holiday if it falls on a Saturday?

Yes. The Day of Goodwill is a public holiday whatever day it falls on. Only holidays that fall on a Sunday move to the Monday. Whether you get extra pay for working on Saturday 26 December depends on whether Saturday is one of your normal working days.

Can my employer give me another day off instead of paying for the public holiday?

The Public Holidays Act allows a public holiday to be exchanged for another day if you and your employer agree. It cannot be imposed on you without agreement.

Sources

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Your contract, bargaining council agreement or sectoral determination may give you better terms.

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By the Jobsiz Editorial Team · Updated 29 October 2026