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Maximise Your Leave

Most South Africans get a limited number of annual leave days each year, but that does not mean you have to limit your rest.

By planning carefully around weekends and public holidays, it is possible to turn a small number of leave days into much longer breaks. The idea is simple. You take leave on the days that sit next to weekends or public holidays, which stretches your time off without using extra leave.

This approach works best when you plan early. Many people wait until the year is already busy before thinking about leave, only to find that their preferred dates are no longer available. When several people at the same company want the same days off, someone is going to miss out. Booking early puts you at the front of the queue and gives you the best chance of getting the dates that work for you and your family.

Here are some ways to maximise your leave days this year

If you are a little sneaky and book these days off now, you will get the most bang for your holiday buck.

Obviously, you may have other events or reasons to take different leave days (like school holidays etc) but see if you can maybe take advantage of some clever planning in 2026 to get the most days off in a row possible.