PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has declared Tuesday, December 27 a public holiday, in lieu of Christmas falling on a Sunday.
The Presidency made the announcement on the morning of Thursday, December 8 in terms of Section 2A of the Public Holidays Act (ACT No 36 of 1994).
On a statement by the Presidency, it read that Ramaphosa made the call to uphold the relevant labour law principles and practices.
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“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,” read the statement by the Presidency.
In October, the leadership of the Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA) penned a letter to the President, requesting that a 12th paid public holiday be added to the eleven for the 2022 calendar year.
The matter raised by FEDUSA Secretary-General Riefdah Ajam was that working South Africans would only enjoy eleven out of the twelve paid public holidays as Christmas falls on a Sunday and the next day, Monday, December 26, is the Day of Goodwill.
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“Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, and in terms of the Public Holiday Act, whenever any public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be a public holiday. Consequently, Monday, December 26, 2022, the Day of Goodwill, will then be deemed to fall outside of the ambit of the Public Holidays Act,” she said.
Ajam remained resolute that working South Africans should not be dealt with a further injustice to their income security, already eroded during Covid-19, and must therefore be able to enjoy their full twelve paid public holidays.
“The federation believes that this gesture will go a long way in strengthening the workers’ morale considering the difficulties they have faced, whilst boosting economic activity during the festive season,” she said.
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