South Africans will get to enjoy an extended Christmas with December 27 declared 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 Section 2A of the Public Holidays Act (Act No 36 of 1994).

A statement released by the Presidency on Thursday stated that in terms of the 2022 annual calendar, Christmas Day (December 25) falls on a Sunday.

“In view of the unique circumstances around the 2022 calendar, and to uphold relevant labour law principles and practices, President Ramaphosa has declared Tuesday, December 27, as a public holiday in lieu of Christmas Day,” the Presidency said in a statement today.

The Presidency explained that 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 this instance, the Monday following December 25 is another public holiday – Day of Goodwill.

“If the holiday of Sunday, December 25, were to be moved to Monday, December 26, this would cancel the holiday of December 26 or cause the two holidays – which are part of 12 paid public holidays annually – to overlap.

“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’,” the Presidency said. – SAnews.gov.za