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

Incumbents

Governor-General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...

: Gideon Brand van Zyl (starting 1 January). * Prime Minister: Jan Christiaan Smuts. * Chief Justice:

Ernest Frederick Watermeyer Ernest Frederick Watermeyer, PC, QC (12 October 1880 – 18 January 1958), was the Chief Justice of South Africa from 1943 to 1950. Watermeyer was born in Graaff-Reinet in 1880. He was educated at Stellenbosch Gymnasium, Bath College and Go ...

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 Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...

. * 12 – The Indian Representative Act is repealed. * 12 – India terminates the trade agreement with South Africa. * 15 – The

Asiatic Land Tenure Act The Asiatic Land Tenure and Indian Representation Act, 1946 (Act No. 28 of 1946; subsequently renamed the Asiatic Land Tenure Act, 1946, and also known as the "Ghetto Act") of South Africa sought to confine Asian ownership and occupation of land ...

, 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 Eureka Diamond was the first diamond discovered in South Africa. It originally weighed , and was later cut to a cushion-shaped brilliant, which is currently on display at the Mine Museum in Kimberley. The discovery of diamonds in South Afric ...

, 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.Indian passive resistance in South Africa: 1946 – 1948
(Accessed on 4 April 2017) ;July * 8 – Indian protests against government legislation lead to the arrest of hundreds of Indians.

Births

* 8 January –

Whitey Basson James Wellwood ‘Whitey’ Basson (born 8 January 1946) is a South African businessman and billionaire who was largely responsible for growing a small business called Shoprite from an 8-store chain valued at R1 million into an internationa ...

, businessman and billionaire, former CEO of Shoprite * 18 January –

Jakes Gerwel Jakes Gerwel (18 January 1946 – 28 November 2012) was a South African academic and anti-apartheid activist. He served as Director-General of the Presidency when Nelson Mandela was in office. In 1999 Gerwel was instrumental in brokering ...

, academic and politician. (d. 2012) * 19 July – Lucas Malan, Afrikaans poet, author and academic * 15 September – Mike Procter, cricketer * 5 December –

Sarel van der Merwe Sarel Daniel van der Merwe (born 5 December 1946) is a former rally and racing driver, who was a multiple South African Rally Drivers Champion. He is referred to by his nickname "Supervan". Van der Merwe won the South African Rally Drivers C ...

, former rally and racing driver * 18 December –

Steve Biko Bantu Stephen Biko (18 December 1946 – 12 September 1977) was a South African anti-apartheid activist. Ideologically an African nationalist and African socialist, he was at the forefront of a grassroots anti-apartheid campaign known ...

, anti- apartheid activist. (d. 1977)

Deaths

* 13 April –

William Henry Bell William Henry Bell, known largely by his initials, W H Bell (20 August 1873 – 13 April 1946), was an English composer, conductor and lecturer. Biography Bell was born in St Albans and was a chorister at St Albans Cathedral. He studied organ ...

, musician, composer and first director of the South African College of Music. (b. 1873)

Railways

Railway lines opened

* 1 June – Transvaal:

Ogies Ogies is a settlement in Nkangala District Municipality in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. It is a coal-mining town 29 km south-west of Witbank and 70 km north-east of Springs. History It was laid out in 1928 on the farm Oogi ...

Vandyksdrif Vandyksdrif is a small village and railway siding in Nkangala District Municipality in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. It is situated next to the R544 road between Witbank and Bethal Bethal () is a farming town in Mpumalanga, South Afric ...

, .''Statement Showing, in Chronological Order, the Date of Opening and the Mileage of Each Section of Railway'', Statement No. 19, p. 191, ref. no. 200954-13

Locomotives

* The South African Railways places the first of fifty Class GEA

4-8-2+2-8-4 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement, a is a Garratt articulated locomotive consisting of a pair of engine units back to back, with the boiler and cab suspended between them. The wheel ar ...

Garratt A Garratt (often referred to as a Beyer Garratt) is a type of steam locomotive invented by British engineer Herbert William Garratt that is articulated into three parts. Its boiler, firebox, and cab are mounted on a centre frame or "bridge ...

articulated steam locomotives in service.

References

{{Africa topic, 1946 in, state=collapsed History of South Africa