2025 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 energy case for DST is weak by modern standards. A US Department of Energy study in 2008 found savings of about 0.5% of daily electricity use, and other studies have found no saving at all.
- The Uniform Time Act of 1966 ended a chaotic period in which US cities set their own clock-change dates, and established a uniform national schedule.
- Arizona and Hawaii are the only US states that skip DST statewide, along with the territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the US Virgin Islands.
Tips for South Africa
Use the extra evening daylight in summer for outdoor activities and vitamin D.
Be extra cautious driving the Monday after the spring time change - accident rates increase.
Update your car clock, microwave, and other manual clocks that don't auto-update.
Gradually adjust your sleep schedule a few days before the time change to minimize disruption.
Frequently asked questions
When do the clocks change in South Africa in 2025?
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.