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The following lists events that happened during 1946 in South Africa.
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- 12 – The Indian Representative Act is repealed.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
thumb|[[South African Class GEA 4-8-2+2-8-4|Class GEA]]
Railway lines opened
- 1 June – Transvaal: Ogies to Vandyksdrif, .
Locomotives
- The South African Railways places the first of fifty Class GEA Garratt locomotives in service.