1964 in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1964 in South Africa.

Incumbents

 * State President: Charles Robberts Swart.
 * Prime Minister: Hendrik Verwoerd.
 * Chief Justice: Lucas Cornelius Steyn.

Events

 * January
 * 31 – The University of Port Elizabeth is established.


 * February
 * South Africa is suspended from the International Labour Organization.


 * March
 * 11 – South Africa withdraws from the International Labour Organization.


 * June
 * 5 – South Africa is expelled from the Universal Postal Union in Vienna.
 * 12 – In the Rivonia Trial, Nelson Mandela's original 5-year sentence is extended to life sentence for high treason together with Denis Goldberg, Ahmed Kathrada, Govan Mbeki, Raymond Mhlaba, Andrew Mlangeni, Elias Motsoaledi and Walter Sisulu.


 * July
 * 17 – Nelson Mandela is awarded the Joliot Curie Gold Medal for Peace.
 * 24 – John Harris, a schoolteacher, explodes a bomb at Park Station, killing 77-year-old Ethel Rhys and injuring 23 others.


 * August
 * 18 – The International Olympic Committee bans South Africa from the Tokyo Olympics on the grounds that its teams are racially segregated.


 * November
 * 6 – Vuyisile Mini is being hanged due to death penalty for treason together with Wilson Khayinga and Zinakile Mkaba.


 * Unknown date
 * The African National Congress establishes offices in Dar-es-Salaam.
 * The Mahotella Queens are formed by producer Rupert Bopape in the Johannesburg studios of Gallo Record Company.
 * The Munitions Production Board is formed in order to develop South African self-sufficiency in the manufacturing of arms.
 * Neville Alexander is imprisoned on Robben Island.
 * November
 * The Little Rivonia Trial begins.
 * December
 * In the Little Rivonia Trial, sentence was introduced for another treason: Wilton Mkwayi  received life sentence; Dave Kitson twenty years; Laloo Chiba eighteen years; John Matthews fifteen years and Mac Maharaj twelve years.

Births

 * 13 January – Laurette Maritz, golfer
 * 21 January – Mark Gleeson (journalist), soccer commentator & journalist
 * 24 February – Wendy Oldfield, singer
 * 18 March – Yvonne Chaka Chaka, singer & businesswoman
 * 5 April – Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, King of the abaThembu
 * 15 April – André Joubert, rugby player
 * 13 April – Colleen De Reuck, long-distance runner
 * 16 May – Kobus Wiese, former rugby player & tv personality
 * 18 May – Balie Swart, rugby player
 * 10 June – Keketso Semoko, actress and producer
 * 11 July – Gavin Hunt, football coach
 * 20 July – Deon Lotz, actor
 * 26 July – Pitso Mosimane, former football player & coach
 * 3 August – Lucky Dube, reggae musician (d. 2007)
 * 19 August – Hector Pieterson, schoolboy who was shot and killed in Soweto uprising (d. 1976)
 * 4 September – Menzi Ngubane, actor (d. 2021)
 * 1 October – Roger De Sa, former football player & coach
 * 5 October – Masoja Msiza, actor and poet
 * 3 November – Brenda Fassie, singer (d. 2004)
 * 12 December – Ringo Madlingozi, musician

Deaths

 * 7 June – Charlie Llewellyn, first non-white South African test cricketer. (b. 1876)
 * 6 November – Vuyisile Mini, South African anti-apartheid activist. (b. 1920)

Locomotives

 * The South African Railways places the first of one hundred Class 5E1, Series 3 electric locomotives in mainline service, built by Union Carriage & Wagon in Nigel, Transvaal.

Sports

 * Papwa Sewgolum, an Indian golfer, wins the Dutch Open tournament for the third time.