How to Get More Leave Days In South Africa In 2025 Using the South African Public Holidays
South African Public holidays are usually just a day off or two, With the right strategy, you can extend these days to have your time off longer to enjoy time with your family, go on that short vacation you always meant to go for or just relax at home, giving yourself some me-time. The following guide will help you structure your leave around South African holidays to maximize your time-off in 2025, along with an email template you can use to apply for a leave.
When you apply for leave, you can choose a day that is before or after a public holiday to extend your days away from the office. The following examples will give you an idea of when to ask for a leave around South African public holidays to maximize your time off from work.
This holiday is on Friday, so you have 3 whole days to rest. From Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd will give you enough time to enjoy your holiday, go out with your friends, or to the beach and still have time to rest.
If you apply for a leave on the 15th of April, then you have five continuous days of rest from Friday 11th to the 15th; in that way, you can travel to see your family members or plan family dinners at home and invite your friends.
Extend your public holiday into a long weekend by taking a day off on Friday, giving you 4 full days from May 1st to Sunday the 4th.
There is no need to apply for extra days since this holiday is on Monday, giving you a 3-day weekend that gives you plenty of time for events and resting.
This public holiday is on a Monday, giving you a 3-day weekend at home without wasting any of your leave days.
This is a holiday in the middle of the week; to extend your days and enjoy the extra weekend added days, take a leave two days before or after Heritage Day, giving you a 5-day holiday.
Maximize your festive time off from the office by applying for 6 days in between the holidays to get a 16-day holiday. You will have more time to travel, go on vacation, have a full rest, and come back refreshed.
The following template will guide you on how to request for leave and maximize time off work around the South African public holidays.
Subject: Leave Request for Extended Holiday in [Month/2025]
Dear [Manager’s Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I would like to formally request leave to extend my holiday time on the following public holidays. I would like to take leave as follows:
The dates I have mentioned are situated around the public holidays, giving me extra time off from work without affecting the company’s production. I have arranged a way to make sure all my responsibilities are covered in my absence, and I am open to discussing a suitable way that can work for both me and the company.
I am available for any further discussion, and I can provide any extra information needed on the issue at your earliest convenience. Thank you in advance for considering my leave request.
Warm regards,
(Your Name)
Strategically requesting leave days around public holidays in South Africa allows you to have extra days off work to spend time with your families and catch up on life without exhausting your leave days before the year ends.
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