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The following lists events that happened during 1936 in South Africa.
Incumbents
- Monarch: King George V (until 20 January), King Edward VIII (starting 20 January).
- Governor-General and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: The Earl of Clarendon.
- Prime Minister: James Barry Munnik Hertzog.
- Chief Justice: John Wessels then John Stephen Curlewis.
Events
;February
- Trolleybuses (trackless trams) begin to operate in Cape Town.
;April
- 7 – The Representation of Natives Act no 16 of 1936 is passed, the first of a series of laws to diminish the voting rights of non-Whites in the Cape Province.
;July
- 2 – Die Vaderland, the first Afrikaans daily newspaper in Transvaal, begins publishing in Johannesburg.
;September
- 15 – The Empire Exhibition, South Africa opens in Johannesburg.
;Unknown date
- The Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town is proclaimed a National Monument.
Births
- 22 January – Clive Derby-Lewis, politician, played a role in the assassination of South African Communist Party leader Chris Hani (d. 2016)
- 18 March – F. W. de Klerk, 10th State President of South Africa (1989–1994).
- 11 April – Mac Maharaj, Apartheid Activist
- 20 June – Dick Lord, South African Air Force and Fleet Air Arm fighter pilot. (d. 2011)
- 21 June – Lionel Davis, artist, in Cape Town.
- 26 September – Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Apartheid Activist South Africa (d. 2018)
- 22 October – Neville Alexander in Cradock. (d. 2012)
- 14 November – Arthur Howard, cricketer
Deaths
- 2 July – Lionel Phillips, mining magnate, chairman of the South African Chamber of Mines and politician, at Vergelegen, Somerset West. (b. 1855)
Railways
Railway lines opened
thumb|Class ES
- 1 May – Natal – Point to Congella, .
- 15 June – Cape – Palingpan to Manganore, .