Leave planning in South Africa, get 42 days off with only 15 days leave
We all love holidays, but with many people getting only 15 leave days, it can feel like there’s never enough time to take a proper break. Luckily, 2025 is packed with opportunities to maximize your time off by aligning leave days with public holidays.
With clever planning, you can transform your 15 days of leave into 42 days off! Here’s how you can stretch your holidays throughout the year.
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The breakdown
1. March: Human Rights Day
- Public holiday: Friday, March 21
- Long weekend: 3 days off (March 21-23)
- No leave days neededStart the year with a nice 3-day break in March, thanks to Human Rights Day falling on a Friday.
2. April/May: Easter Weekend, Freedom Day & Workers' Day
- Public holidays:
- Friday, April 18 (Good Friday)
- Monday, April 21 (Family Day)
- Monday, April 28 (Freedom Day observed)
- Thursday, May 1 (Workers' Day)
- Take leave: April 29, 30 & May 2 (3 leave days)
- Total time off: 9 days (April 18-May 4)April offers a long break with the Easter weekend, plus Freedom Day and Workers' Day within the same week. You can take three leave days to enjoy nine days off in total.
3. June: Youth Day
- Public holiday: Friday, June 16
- Take leave: Monday, June 19 (1 leave day)
- Total time off: 4 days (June 16-19)Extend your Youth Day weekend by taking just one leave day on June 19 for a restful 4-day break.
4. September: Heritage Day
- Public holiday: Wednesday, September 24
- Take leave: September 22-23 (2 leave days)
- Total time off: 5 days (September 20-24)Take advantage of Heritage Day in September by adding two leave days and turning it into a relaxing 5-day vacation.
5. December: Festive Season (Christmas & New Year's Eve)
- Public holidays:
- Thursday, December 25 (Christmas Day)
- Friday, December 26 (Day of Goodwill)
- Thursday, January 1 (New Year's Day)
- Take leave: December 17-19, 22-24, 29-31 (9 leave days)
- Total time off: 17 days (December 16-January 1)Make the most of the festive season by taking nine leave days in December and getting a 17-day holiday to end the year on a high note.
Planning an international trip?
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자주 묻는 질문
Avoid reckless behaviors and use common sense. Avoid going anywhere alone with a stranger and if you feel uncomfortable, walk into a public place or catch up with a large group of people.
Many people are wary of international travel, but traveling throughout the world is quite safe. However, there are safety precautions that every traveler should employ.
For a 7-day trip, it's wise to bring along enough clothing to change into a different outfit every day, plus a few extra things in case of emergencies. This equates to bringing seven or eight separate outfits, plus extras like swimwear, exercise gear, and outerwear as needed.
It is recommended that you follow the 5-4-3-2-1 rule, which means that you pack up to five tops, four bottoms, three accessories, two pairs of shoes, and one swimsuit.
A medium-size suitcase should do, as it is larger than carry-on luggage and offers more space for clothes and other items. The dimensions are between 60x40x25 cm and 70x50x30 cm.
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