Acting President Kgalema Motlanthe declared on Tuesday, December 27 a public holiday, the presidency said.
“The 27th day of December 2011 is a public holiday throughout the Republic in terms of section 2A of the Public Holidays Act,” spokesman Thabo Masebe said in a statement on Wednesday.
Masebe said the Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) wrote a letter to the presidency requesting an extra public holiday because Christmas fell on a Sunday this year and the Day of Goodwill on a Monday.
“Based on their recommendations, the president approved the public holiday.”
Fedusa sent the letter on November 18 and was told to expect a response after the Cop17 climate change conference, which ended on Sunday. - Sapa