School holidays in South Africa: 2024 and 2025

Parents in South Africa will need to know when the local school holidays are. Luckily, all schools have the same holiday dates, and they all close on national public holidays, which makes school holiday planning a bit easier in all regions.

This list contains the following information:

When are the school holidays in South Africa?

The South African school year runs from January to December. There are four school holidays:

• Two-week break in March/April
• Three-week holidays in June/July
• One-week break in September/October
• Five/six-week holiday in December/January

Schools also close on public holidays. There are also other additional days off every school year. Altogether, there are around 200 days in the South African scholastic year.

Privately-run international schools in South Africa may have slightly different holiday dates from state schools, so it is advisable to check the annual calendar with your child’s school if they are privately educated. Some of the annual South African festivals may also fall within school holiday periods.

South African school holidays dates in 2024–2025

Holiday	Dates
First term break	21 March – 2 April 2024
Second term break	17 June – 8 July 2024
Third term break	23 September – 30 October 2024
Fourth term break	12 December 2024 – 14 January 2025

South African school holiday dates in 2025–2026

Holiday	Dates
First term break	31 March – 7 April 2025
Special School holidays	28 April – 2 May 2025
Second term break	30 June – 21 July 2025
Third term break	6 – 10 October 2025
Fourth term break	11 December 2025 – 13 January 2026

Additional holidays and days off

South Africa has 12 annual public holidays, some of which fall during school term time. These include:

Public holiday	Date
New Year’s Day	1 January 2025 (Wednesday)
Human Rights Day	21 March 2025 (Friday)
Good Friday	18 April 2025 (Friday)
Family Day	21 April 2025 (Monday)
Freedom Day	27 April 2025 (Sunday)
Workers’ Day	1 May 2025 (Thursday)
Youth Day holiday	16 June 2025 (Monday)
National Women’s Day	9 August 2025 (Saturday)
Heritage Day	24 September 2025 (Wednesday)
Day of Reconciliation	16 December 2025 (Tuesday)
Christmas Day	25 December 2025 (Thursday)
Day of Goodwill	26 December 2025 (Friday)

The annual public holidays are extra school holidays in South Africa. If a vacation falls on a Sunday, schools usually close on Monday. Sometimes, schools will also close if a public holiday falls on a Tuesday to make a long weekend.

Schools may also close for reasons such as teacher training or pupil book days. These will vary between institutions; however, it’s important to check with your child’s school so that you know in advance when these will be.

Many South African schools, such as the British International College and the International School of Cape Town, publish calendars on their websites, so this is a good place to check for information.

Childcare during school holidays in South Africa

If you are a working parent during school holidays in South Africa, you may need to make childcare arrangements during working hours. Various childminding organizations run holiday activities for kids, however, costs, availability, and types of activities vary from one provider to the next.

To find out what options are available in your area, ask your child’s school or check with the local municipality what they have on offer. You can also search for local holiday programs and other childcare options on sites such as Rainbow Kids or Active Activities.

If you would prefer your child to be cared for in the comfort of their home, you can always hire a babysitter, nanny, or au pair. Sites such as SA Nanny have a wide range of childminders available who offer short-term or long-term services.