Easter 2019: Dates in South Africa this year

There is a slew of South African public holidays coming up and, if you were one of the clever ones, chances are you’ve blocked out enough leave days to get a flurry of “free leave”.

The official dates for the Easter weekend do change every year, but one thing remains constant: Friday and Monday are public holidays and the holiday is celebrated at the same time all over the world.

As in other countries, Easter commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. And yes, there are chocolate bunnies and chocolate eggs.

South Africa also often holds Easter parades, egg hunts, egg-decorating workshops, and grand Easter festivals. Local organisations will hold Easter events for kids, and families will spend much of the day out and about, while relaxing at home the rest of the time.

It also goes hand-in-hand with hot cross buns and pickled fish.

For runners, Easter is also a big date on the race calendar. The Two Oceans Marathon takes place on the Sunday of Easter weekend, as will be the case this year.

Easter 2019: Dates in South Africa

This year, Easter weekend will fall on 19 April (Good Friday) and 22 April (Family Day).

Staying safe on South Africa’s roads during Easter

Every year, the South African Police Service (SAPS) issues stay-safe rules as thousands take on long journeys across the country. These tips look at how to prevent crime and avoid accidents.

Here’s a recap of some of the tips

• Ensure that your vehicle is in a good condition when you plan to go on a journey.
• Always lock your vehicle’s doors and keep the windows closed.
• Do not leave your vehicle unlocked, even if you think you will be away for only a minute.
• Avoid stopping at remote places.
• Park your vehicle in places that are well lit.
• Limit your trips at night or at least take someone along with you.
• Vary the route you travel to work and back if this is possible.
• Carjackers may stage a minor accident so they can approach your car.
• Do not give strangers a lift.
• South African parents urged to keep their children safe.

Keeping children safe during Easter

The Western Cape’s Minister of Social Development, Albert Fritz, called on parents and legal guardians to take the necessary precautions to keep children safe over the long weekend.

Recent child protection statistics reveal that between April and June 2018, there were 516 cases of neglect and 12 cases of abandonment. In total, 1614 cases were reported requesting child protection during this time.

Fritz noted in a statement:

“If your child has gone missing, please do not wait to report this to the police! The longer you wait, the less likely it is that you will find your child. The first 24 to 48 hours are crucial.”

“As parents and guardians, the duty falls upon you to teach children about their personal safety. Your child must be taught to always keep all entrances and gates closed and locked, and that nobody should enter without permission from either parent. If you have a home security system installed, teach them how to activate and deactivate it, and to use other security devices like panic buttons”, said Minister Fritz.