The following lists events that happened during 1946 in South Africa.
Contents
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12 – The Indian Representative Act is repealed.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
24 January – Morris Alexander, politician (b. 1877)
13 April – William Henry Bell, musician, composer and first director of the South African College of Music. (b. 1873)
Railways
Railway lines opened
1 June – Transvaal: Ogies to Vandyksdrif, 21 miles 30 chains (34.4 kilometres).
Locomotives
The South African Railways places the first of fifty Class GEA 4-8-2+2-8-4 Garratt locomotives in service.