1953 in South Africa
The following lists events that happened during 1953 in South Africa.
Incumbents
- Monarch: Queen Elizabeth II.
- Governor-General and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: Ernest George Jansen.
- Prime Minister: Daniel François Malan.
- Chief Justice: Albert van der Sandt Centlivres.
Events
;May- 9 - The Liberal Party of South Africa is formed in Cape Town by Alan Paton.
- 29 - Santam Insurance Company is registered, following the separation of trust and insurance operations.
- Mimi Coertse leaves South Africa for London.
- 18–20 - The 42nd Annual Conference of the African National Congress takes place in Queenstown.
- The Communist Party of South Africa, banned by the National Party government, relaunches itself underground as the South African Communist Party.
- Bantu Education Act is voted, and will start 1 January 1954.
Births
- 12 January - Steven De Groote, classical pianist.
- 13 January - Derek Hanekom, activist and politician.
- 15 February - Mantfombi Dlamini, Queen Consort of the Zulu Nation.
- 5 March - Tokyo Sexwale, businessman, politician and activist.
- 29 April - Bill Drummond, British musician
- 22 October - Loyiso Nongxa, mathematician.
- 7 December - Naledi Pandor, national minister
Deaths
- 1 July - Totius, Afrikaans poet.
Railways
Railway lines opened
- 14 October - Cape - Lohatla to Sishen,.
Locomotives
Two new Cape gauge locomotive types enter service on the South African Railways :- The first of ninety [South African South African Class 25 4-8-4|Class 25 4-8-4|Class 25] 4-8-4 Northern type condensing steam locomotives.
- The first of fifty Class 25NC non-condensing versions of the Class 25 Condenser.
Sports
Football
- 22 November - In a friendly match the South Africa national football team loses 1–3 to the Portugal national football team at the National Stadium, Lisbon, Portugal.