Bonus public holiday reveals President’s goodwill

To ensure workers get their due, 12 paid public holidays this year, and responding to a request from the Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa), President Jacob Zuma has declared December 27 a public holiday.

The Public Holiday Act states when a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be, well, another public holiday.

This year, Christmas falls on a Sunday so Fedusa promptly calculated and realised, alas, workers would not have their full dozen public holidays.

But the plot thickens.

We know that “whenever a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be a public holiday”.

However, as 26 December is also a public holiday, the Day of Goodwill ironically, and we can’t have two public holidays sharing the same time-space continuum (how dare they?).

So in the spirit of goodwill, December 27 will be the extra holiday and no-one is deprived or “unduly disadvantaged”, President Zuma reportedly said.

The Presidency says the move will ensure that workers still get their 12 paid public holidays.

Fedusa is pleased and the federation’s Dennis George has described the President’s announcement as an important gesture.

Do you want to receive news alerts via WhatsApp? Send us a WhatsApp message with your name and surname to 061 718 4438.

Please read our WhatsApp broadcast list disclaimer.
Join us on BBM at 59015786
Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.