2024 time change dates for South Africa
South Africa does not observe Daylight Saving Time
Clocks in South Africa stay on SAST all year, so there is no spring forward or fall back date.
South Africa stays on SAST for the whole year.
Countdown to the next change
Background
- The European Parliament voted in 2019 to end mandatory clock changes, but member states never agreed on which time to keep, so the change has stalled indefinitely.
- The Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended US DST by four weeks starting in 2007, moving the start to the second Sunday in March and the end to the first Sunday in November.
- The spring transition is associated with a measurable short-term rise in heart attacks and fatal traffic crashes, an effect researchers attribute to the lost hour of sleep rather than the clock itself.
Tips for South Africa
Check and replace smoke detector batteries when changing clocks - it's a good reminder!
Be extra cautious driving the Monday after the spring time change - accident rates increase.
Remember that not all countries change on the same date - check international meeting times carefully.
Use the phrase 'Spring forward, fall back' to remember which direction to change your clocks.
Frequently asked questions
When do the clocks change in South Africa in 2024?
They do not. South Africa does not observe Daylight Saving Time.
Which way do the clocks go?
"Spring forward, fall back" is the usual mnemonic: forward one hour in spring, back one hour in autumn.
Do I have to change anything myself?
Phones, computers and anything that syncs over the internet update on their own. Car clocks, ovens, microwaves and older wall clocks generally do not.
Is Daylight Saving Time being scrapped?
It has been proposed in many places and adopted in few. The European Parliament voted in 2019 to end mandatory clock changes and the change has stalled; in the United States the Sunshine Protection Act has repeatedly passed the Senate without becoming law. Most of the world that changes its clocks is still changing them.