Ramadan 1448
Ramadan 2027 in South Africa
The expected start date, who decides it, and first-day suhoor and iftar times across 3 cities.
How South Africa decides
Practice varies across South Africa: some communities rely on a local moon sighting, while others follow a calculation or Saudi Arabia's announcement.
South Africa has a long-running, well-documented split (sometimes called the 'moon wars') between the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC), which follows a stricter traditional-sighting standard region by region, and the United Ulama Council of South Africa (UUCSA)/Jamiatul Ulama, whose Central Hilaal Committee waits for all regional sighting reports, including the west of the country, before ruling. The dates recorded here (March 2, 2025 and February 19, 2026) follow the UUCSA/Jamiatul Ulama moonsighting results, the more widely followed of the two.
Sources: https://www.jamiatsa.org/moonsighting-results-the-start-of-blessed-ramadan-1446/, https://www.joburgetc.com/news/411/ramadan-2025-south-africa-moon-sighting-timings/, https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/eid-2022-moon-wars-sightings-south-africa/, https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2026/02/279296/ramadan-2026-to-begin-in-south-africa-on-february-19/
Past years
When Ramadan started in South Africa in the last two years.
| Year | Ramadan started |
|---|---|
| 1446 AH | 2 March 2025 |
| 1447 AH | 19 February 2026 |
First-day Suhoor and iftar times by city
Suhoor end and iftar times for Monday 8 February 2027, the expected first fast. Each city page has the full month timetable.
| City | First-day Suhoor end | First-day iftar |
|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg | 4:25am | 6:56pm |
| Cape Town | 4:42am | 7:46pm |
| Durban | 4:04am | 6:49pm |
Questions
When does Ramadan 2027 start in South Africa?
Ramadan 2027 in South Africa is expected to start on Monday 8 or Tuesday 9 February 2027, depending on the moon sighting.
Who decides when Ramadan starts in South Africa?
The start of Ramadan in South Africa is announced by United Ulama Council of South Africa (UUCSA) / Jamiatul Ulama South Africa, and separately the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC).
When is Eid al-Fitr 2027 in South Africa?
Eid al-Fitr 2027 in South Africa is expected on Tuesday 9 March 2027.