National Flag Day

National Flag Day recalls April 25, 1967, when King Sobhuza II first raised the national flag as self-government and independence approached. The design developed from a flag associated with the Swazi Pioneer Corps and places a black-and-white Nguni shield, spears and staff on red, yellow and blue bands.

Government descriptions associate red with past conflict, yellow with mineral resources, blue with peace and stability, and the shield with protection and coexistence. These are official symbol readings, not a full account of Eswatini’s political history. The date also later coincided with King Mswati III’s April 25, 1986 coronation, especially visible during the 2026 Ruby Jubilee.

National Flag Day is treated as a national public holiday under the Public Holidays Act schedule as updated in practice by Gazette notices. Section 2 carries a scheduled holiday falling on Sunday to Monday, but not one falling on Saturday; the government’s General Orders state that distinction expressly. The Act makes public holidays non-business days for bills of exchange but does not itself promise identical paid-leave terms to every worker. Paid entitlement and compensation depend on the applicable wage regulation, collective agreement or employment terms. In 2026 it fell on Saturday. Home Affairs specifically confirmed Monday, April 27 was not a public holiday, correcting commercial calendars that applied a Saturday carryover which Eswatini law does not provide.