1946 in South Africa

Incumbents

• Monarch: King George VI.
• Governor-General and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: Nicolaas Jacobus de Wet, Gideon Brand van Zyl.
• Prime Minister: Jan Christiaan Smuts.
• Chief Justice: Ernest Frederick Watermeyer.

  Events

• 1 - Gideon Brand van Zyl is appointed the 9th Governor-General of the Union of South Africa.

• 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• 12 - The Indian Representative Act is repealed.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.

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

• 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.

• 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.
• 15 September - Mike Procter, cricketer
• 18 December - Steve Biko, anti-apartheid activist.

  Deaths

• 13 April - William Henry Bell, musician, composer and first director of the South African College of Music.

  Railways

Railway lines opened

• 1 June - Transvaal: Ogies to Vandyksdrif,.

  Locomotives

• The South African Railways places the first of fifty Class GEA 4-8-2+2-8-4 Garratt articulated steam locomotives in service.