Out of the blue and on exceptionally short notice, the 27th of December was declared a public holiday.
The move was prompted by the Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) writing a letter on 18 November to the presidency requesting an extra public holiday because Christmas fell on a Sunday last year and the Day of Goodwill on a Monday.
To quote the presidency spokesperson: “Based on their recommendations, the president approved the public holiday.”
The late move prompted strong reactions from various Business and Commerce Chambers countrywide, bemoaning the impact on business in the country.
Economists viewpoints were varied with some supporting the Chambers’ viewpoint, whilst others did not suspect such a substantial impact as a number of businesses are closed over this period in any event.
The net impact on your business is that the day must be treated as any other public holiday and the provisions of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act or any agreement or determination binding on you would be of application.
