1946 in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1946 in South Africa.

Incumbents

 * Monarch: King George VI.
 * Governor-General: Gideon Brand van Zyl (starting 1 January).
 * Prime Minister: Jan Christiaan Smuts.
 * Chief Justice: Ernest Frederick Watermeyer.

Events

 * January
 * 1 – Gideon Brand van Zyl is appointed the 7th Governor-General of the Union of South Africa.


 * March
 * 12 – The South African Indian Congress delegation is received by the Viceroy, Lord Wavell, in Delhi, India, and submits a petition drafted in consultation with Mohandas Gandhi.
 * 12 – The Indian Representative Act is repealed.
 * 12 – India terminates the trade agreement with South Africa.
 * 15 – The Asiatic Land Tenure Act, the "Ghetto Act", is amended to state that Indians may only live where Indians had resided in non-proclaimed areas.
 * 31 – 6,000 Indians march in Durban in protest to the Asiatic Land Tenure Act.


 * April
 * 16 – The Eureka Diamond, the first diamond discovered in South Africa, is sold in London for £5,700.


 * June
 * 11 – India recalls its High Commissioner from South Africa.
 * 22 – During a prayer meeting in New Delhi, India, Mahatma Gandhi calls for South Africa to stop hooliganism by whites.
 * 23 – A group of white men attack and assault a group of Indian Passive Resisters.


 * July
 * 8 – Indian protests against government legislation lead to the arrest of hundreds of Indians.

Births

 * 8 January – Whitey Basson, businessman and billionaire, former CEO of Shoprite
 * 18 January – Jakes Gerwel, academic and politician. (d. 2012)
 * 19 July – Lucas Malan, Afrikaans poet, author and academic
 * 15 September – Mike Procter, cricketer (d. 2024)
 * 5 December – Sarel van der Merwe, former rally and racing driver
 * 18 December – Steve Biko, anti-apartheid activist. (d. 1977)

Deaths

 * 13 April – William Henry Bell, musician, composer and first director of the South African College of Music. (b. 1873)

Railway lines opened

 * 1 June – Transvaal: Ogies to Vandyksdrif, 21 mi.

Locomotives

 * The South African Railways places the first of fifty Class GEA Garratt locomotives in service.