South Africa at the 2012 Summer Olympics
South Africa competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom, from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's eighteenth participation overall and sixth consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympics in the post-apartheid era. The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee sent a total of 125 athletes to the Games, 67 men and 58 women, to compete in 17 sports. Field hockey and women's football were the only team-based sports in which South Africa were representation at these Olympic games. There was only a single competitor in archery, BMX cycling, judo, shooting and weightlifting.
Notable South African athletes included track stars Oscar Pistorius and Caster Semenya. Pistorius, a four-time Paralympic champion, set South Africa's historical record as the first double-leg amputee to compete at the Olympics. Semenya, a middle-distance runner and a world champion who had been subjected to gender testing in 2009, became the nation's flag bearer at the opening ceremony. The South African team also featured past Olympic medalists, including swimmer Roland Mark Schoeman, who won a full set of medals in Athens, and long jumper Godfrey Khotso Mokoena, who took silver in Beijing.
After suffering a major setback in Beijing, South Africa recaptured its previous successes in London with a total of six Olympic medals. Among the nation's medalists were swimmers Cameron van der Burgh and Chad le Clos, who each won gold in their events, with Le Clos also winning a silver. Van der Burgh broke both an Olympic record and a world record in men's breaststroke swimming. Meanwhile, le Clos surpassed the defending champion Michael Phelps to claim the title in one of the men's butterfly events. For the first time in its history, South Africa won Olympic medals in rowing and in sprint canoeing.
Medalists
| Medal | Name | Sport | Event | Date |
| Swimming | Men's 100 m breaststroke | |||
| Swimming | Men's 200 m butterfly | |||
| James Thompson Matthew Brittain John Smith Sizwe Ndlovu | Rowing | Men's lightweight coxless four | ||
| Caster Semenya | Athletics | Women's 800 m | ||
| Chad le Clos | Swimming | Men's 100 m butterfly | ||
| Bridgitte Hartley | Canoeing | Women's K-1 500 m |
Archery
Athletics
South African athletes have entered the following events:;Key
- Note – Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
- Q = Qualified for the next round
- q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
- NR = National record
- N/A = Round not applicable for the event
- Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round
Ofentse Mogawane was injured in a crash during the first heat of the 4 × 400 m relay. On appeal, South Africa was entered into the final with Louis van Zyl replacing Mogawane. Oscar Pistorius made Olympic history, becoming the first double leg amputee ever to participate in the Olympic Games.
in men's marathon
becomes the first double leg amputee to compete at the Olympics.
;Track & road events
;Field events
;Combined events – Decathlon
| Athlete | Event | 100 m | 400 m | 1500 m | Final | Rank | |||||||
| Willem Coertzen | Result | 11.09 | 7.17 | 13.79 | 2.05 | 48.56 | 14.15 | 43.58 | 4.50 | 64.79 | 4:26.52 | 8173 | 9 |
| Willem Coertzen | Points | 841 | 854 | 715 | 850 | 882 | 955 | 738 | 760 | 810 | 768 | 8173 | 9 |
;Women
;Track & road events
;Field events
Badminton
Boxing
South Africa has entered boxers for the following events;Men
Canoeing
Sprint
South Africa has entered canoeists for the following eventsQualification Legend: FA = Qualify to final ; FB = Qualify to final B
Cycling
South Africa has entered nine cyclists.Road
Track
;SprintMountain biking
BMX
Equestrian
Eventing
Field hockey
South Africa has qualified for both the men's and the women's event.- Men's team event – 1 team of 16 players
- Women's team event – 1 team of 16 players
Men's tournament
;Group play
;11th/12th place
Women's tournament
;Roster;Group play
;9th/10th place
Football
South Africa is qualified for the women's event.- Women's team event – 1 team of 18 players
Women's tournament
;Group play
Judo
Rowing
South Africa has entered the following events.;Men
;Women
Qualification Legend: FA=Final A ; FB=Final B ; FC=Final C ; FD=Final D ; FE=Final E ; FF=Final F ; SA/B=Semifinals A/B; SC/D=Semifinals C/D; SE/F=Semifinals E/F; QF=Quarterfinals; R=Repechage
Sailing
South Africa has entered one boat for the following event.;Men
M = Medal race; EL = Eliminated – did not advance into the medal race;
Shooting
South Africa has entered one competitor in shooting;;Men
Swimming
Twenty South African swimmers have entered the following events:;Men
;Women
Triathlon
South Africa has entered one man and two women.| Athlete | Event | Swim | Trans 1 | Bike | Trans 2 | Run | Total Time | Rank |
| Richard Murray | Men's | 18:11 | 0:35 | 59:38 | 0:26 | 30:25 | 1:49:15 | 17 |
| Kate Roberts | Women's | 19:23 | 0:40 | 1:07:21 | 0:34 | 34:48 | 2:02:46 | 22 |
| Gillian Sanders | Women's | 19:29 | 0:38 | 1:05:31 | 0:32 | 36:18 | 2:02:28 | 19 |