2023 in South Africa

Events in the year 2023 in South Africa.

Incumbents

 * President: Cyril Ramaphosa (ANC)
 * Deputy President:
 * David Mabuza (ANC) until 28 February
 * Paul Mashatile (ANC) starting 7 March
 * Chief Justice: Raymond Zondo
 * Deputy Chief Justice: Mandisa Maya
 * President of the Supreme Court of Appeal: Xola Petse (acting)
 * Deputy President of the Supreme Court of Appeal: Nambitha Dambuza (acting)
 * Chairperson of the Electoral Court of South Africa: Boissie Henry Mbha
 * Speaker of the National Assembly: Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula (ANC)
 * Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly: Lechesa Tsenoli (ANC)
 * Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly: John Steenhuisen (DA)
 * Leader of Government Business: David Mabuza (ANC)
 * Government Chief Whip (of the National Assembly): Pemmy Majodina (ANC)
 * Opposition Chief Whip (of the National Assembly): Siviwe Gwarube (DA)
 * Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces: Amos Masondo (ANC)
 * Deputy Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces: Sylvia Lucas (ANC)
 * Leader of the Opposition of the National Council of Provinces: Cathlene Labuschagne (DA)
 * Chief Whip of the National Council of Provinces: Seiso Mohai (ANC)

Cabinet
The Cabinet, together with the President and the Deputy President, forms the Executive.

Provincial Premiers

 * Eastern Cape Province: Oscar Mabuyane (ANC)
 * Free State Province: Sisi Ntombela (ANC)
 * Gauteng Province: Panyaza Lesufi (ANC)
 * KwaZulu-Natal Province: Nomusa Dube-Ncube (ANC)
 * Limpopo Province: Stanley Mathabatha (ANC)
 * Mpumalanga Province: Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane (ANC)
 * North West Province: Bushy Maape (ANC)
 * Northern Cape Province: Zamani Saul (ANC)
 * Western Cape Province: Alan Winde (DA)

Events

 * 12 January – A truck crashes into several minibus taxis at an intersection in Roodepoort, Gauteng, killing five people and injuring nine others.
 * 15 January – A light aircraft crashes in Nasrec, Johannesburg, South Africa, killing all three people on board.
 * 27 January – South Africa agrees to send 12 cheetahs to India a year for the next 8 to 10 years to help establish a "viable and secure cheetah population" in the wild. The Asiatic cheetah became extinct in India in the 1940s due to hunting and habitat destruction.
 * 29 January – Eight people are killed and three others are injured in a mass shooting at a birthday party in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.
 * 5 February – South Africa reports imported cases of cholera in two sisters who travelled to Malawi.
 * 14 February – Twenty people are killed and 68 others injured during a head-on collision between a tour bus and an armoured cash-in-transit van in Makhado, Limpopo.
 * 20 March – South Africa prepares for a "nationwide shutdown" as the military is deployed ahead of protests by the Economic Freedom Fighters.
 * 2 June – In February 2023, South Africa experienced a cholera outbreak that grew from 2 initial cases to 99 confirmed cases in Tshwane over the following months. Jubilee Hospital reported 17 deaths. Efforts to contain the outbreak led to a significant decrease in new cases by June 2023.
 * 5 July – 2023 Boksburg gas leak – 17 people, including three children, died in a suspected gas leak in the Angelo informal settlement in Boksburg. According to emergency services, the leak appeared to be linked to illegal mining activities.
 * 12 July – Six people were shot dead and four wounded in KwaNobuhle, Eastern Cape, after three men entered the yard of a home and opened fire.
 * 19 July – Ramaphosa announces Russian president Vladimir Putin will not physically attend the BRICs summit next month. As a member of the International Criminal Court, South Africa is obligated to arrest Putin if he shows up.
 * 20 July – A suspected underground gas explosion rips open roads and flips vehicles in Johannesburg, killing one and injuring at least 48.
 * 31 August – A large building fire in the central business district of Johannesburg kills at least 73 people.
 * 1 September – Eighteen people are killed during a shootout between robbers and police in Limpopo.
 * 20 September – Three members of the South African Navy are killed and five others are rescued when large waves hit a submarine near Kommetjie, Western Cape.
 * 28 October – 2023 Rugby World Cup: South Africa wins a record fourth Webb Ellis Cup after defeating New Zealand 12–11 in the final.
 * 30 October – President Cyril Ramaphosa announces the 15th of December as a public holiday in celebration of the sports achievements (2023 Rugby World Cup:South Africa)
 * 20 November – Israel recalls its ambassador from South Africa after Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni called on the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
 * 27 November – Eleven workers are killed and 75 others are injured at an Impala platinum mine in Rustenburg, North West, when a lift transporting them to the surface drops approximately 200 metres (660 ft).
 * 29 December – South Africa files the case South Africa v. Israel (Genocide Convention) against Israel at World Court.
 * 30 December – Flash flooding kills 21 people in KwaZulu-Natal state.

Holidays
South Africa has 12 public holidays; if a holiday falls on a Sunday, it is celebrated the following Monday.


 * 1 January – New Year's Day
 * 21 March – Human Rights Day
 * 27 April – Freedom Day (National day)
 * 1 May - National Worker's Day
 * 16 June – Youth Day
 * 9 August – National Women's Day
 * 24 September – Heritage Day
 * 16 December - Reconciliation Day
 * 25 December - Christmas Day
 * 26 December - Day of Goodwill

January

 * 8 January – Adriaan Vlok, 85, politician, minister of correctional services (1991–1994).

February

 * 6 February – John Moeti, 55, South African footballer.
 * 10 February – AKA, 35, South African rapper, drive-by shooting.

March

 * 11 March – Costa Titch, 28, South African rapper.
 * 25 March – Moosa Moolla, 88, Indian South African activist and diplomat.

May

 * 14 May – Billy Masetlha, 68, South African intelligence officer.

June

 * 5 June – Tina Joemat-Pettersson, 59, South African politician.
 * 10 June – Clive Barker, 78, South African football coach.

July

 * 6 July – Essop Pahad, 84, South African politician.

August

 * 9 August – Doreen Mantle, 97, South African-born British actress (One Foot in the Grave, Jam & Jerusalem, Yentl).
 * 22 August – Derek Watts, 74, South African investigative reporter and the presenter of Carte Blanche on M-Net, lung cancer.

September

 * 9 September – Mangosuthu Buthelezi, 95, South African politician.
 * 27 September – Aziz Pahad, 82, South African politician.

October

 * 18 October – Mzwakhe Sibisi, 53, South African politician.

November

 * 19 November – Hannes Strydom, 58, South African rugby union player.

December

 * 11 December – Zahara, 36, South African singer and songwriter.
 * 26 December – Alice Mthembu, 64, South African politician, car accident.
 * 27 December – Mbongeni Ngema, 68, South African musician and playwright (Sarafina!, Woza Albert!), car accident.

Country overviews

 * History of South Africa
 * History of modern South Africa
 * Outline of South Africa
 * Government of South Africa
 * Politics of South Africa
 * National Council of Provinces (NCOP)
 * National Assembly of South Africa
 * Timeline of South Africa history

Related timelines for current period

 * 2020s
 * 2020s in political history
 * COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
 * COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa
 * COVID-19 vaccination in South Africa