Other Middle East and Africa Frequent Flyer Programs - SAA release of additional award seats

We're now holding FC/Bz LHR-JNB-NBO award seats on SAA, leaving 11-11 and returning 11-27. Since the 28th is the Sunday end of the thanksgiving holiday, it's getting harder and more expensive to get back to JFK, so we're exploring retuning a day later.

Strangely, SAA is wide open on award seats on the JNB-LHR flites on Sat and Sunday, but there are NO award seats on the 28th NBO-JNB....though plenty on the 27th and 29th. ANYONE KNOW
1-Is that sunday something special?
2-Does SAA tend to release additional award seats in any regular way?
(It's a Delta partner award, btw)

ANY info/experiences MOST welcome.

Thanks
Steve

Sunday is always a major business travel day, so it would not be surprising that there are no award seats open. Most business types like to get in a day early, rest and start their work week on Monday.

I have booked awards in Business on SAA using Delta miles out of LHR and never had much of a problem as the carrier has plenty of capacity on these routes, either to JNB or CPT. Same cannot be said on smaller aircraft serving intra-African routes, or the SAfrica - USA non-stop/one-stop routes.

Should be interesting to see how this goes when SAA jumps over to STAR.

Hope you find what you're after, though.