Ramaphosa Declares 4 November Public Holiday for Polls

Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth urges employers to accommodate workers voting in South Africa's local government elections.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Elections

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a limp flagpole above a plain civic building under a pale sky, evoking South Africa's national voting day. — President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared 4 November a national public holiday so South Africans can vote in the country's local government elections. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared 4 November a national public holiday under Section 2A of the Public Holidays Act, the date of South Africa's local government elections. Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth urged employers to accommodate workers who vote that day.

Why it matters

The minister said the right to vote is a cornerstone of South Africa's constitutional democracy. The Department of Employment and Labour is encouraging employers and employees to plan voting arrangements in advance while keeping operations running.

The public holiday falls on 4 November, the date of the local government elections, as declared under Section 2A of the Public Holidays Act. The extraction does not give vote counts, turnout projections or the number of affected workers.

The players

Cyril Ramaphosa

Ramaphosa is the President of South Africa, who used his powers under the Public Holidays Act to declare the election day a national holiday.

Nomakhosazana Meth

Meth is South Africa's Minister of Employment and Labour, who urged employers to accommodate workers voting on the election day.

The details

Minister Nomakhosazana Meth encouraged employers and workers to engage early on workplace voting arrangements. The Department of Employment and Labour said it will work with Nedlac social partners to promote awareness of workers' rights and responsibilities.

• 4 November: Local government elections and national public holiday in South Africa.

Season Trajectory

The holiday designation for 4 November rests on Section 2A of the Public Holidays Act, the mechanism the President used to make election day a national public holiday. Employers are being asked to plan around that provision in the days before polling.

Workers may be entitled to a public holiday on 4 November, so employees should talk to their employers in advance about voting arrangements. Employers are encouraged to make reasonable workplace adjustments that support voter participation while maintaining operations.

The takeaway

Voters should confirm their workplace arrangements with their employers before 4 November so that voting fits around their working day. Early conversations help both sides plan without disrupting operations.