1964 in South Africa

Incumbents

• State President: Charles Robberts Swart.
• Prime Minister: Hendrik Verwoerd.
• Chief Justice: Lucas Cornelius Steyn.

  Events

• 31 - The University of Port Elizabeth is established.

• South Africa is suspended from the International Labour Organization.

• 11 - South Africa withdraws from the International Labour Organization.

• 5 - South Africa is expelled from the Universal Postal Union in Vienna.
• 12 - In the Rivonia Trial, Nelson Mandela's original 5-year sentence is extended to life sentence for high treason together with Denis Goldberg, Ahmed Kathrada, Govan Mbeki, Raymond Mhlaba, Andrew Mlangeni, Elias Motsoaledi and Walter Sisulu.

• 17 - Nelson Mandela is awarded the Joliot Curie Gold Medal for Peace.
• 24 - John Harris, a schoolteacher, explodes a bomb at Park Station, killing 77-year-old Ethel Rhys and injuring 23 others.

• 18 - The International Olympic Committee bans South Africa from the Tokyo Olympics on the grounds that its teams are racially segregated.

• 6 - Vuyisile Mini is being hanged due to death penalty for treason together with Wilson Khayinga and Zinakile Mkaba.

• The African National Congress establishes offices in Dar-es-Salaam.
• The Mahotella Queens are formed by producer Rupert Bopape in the Johannesburg studios of Gallo Record Company.
• The Munitions Production Board is formed in order to develop South African self-sufficiency in the manufacturing of arms.
• Neville Alexander is imprisoned on Robben Island.

• In the Little Rivonia Trial, sentence was introduced for another treason:

Births

• 13 January - Laurette Maritz, golfer
• 21 January - Mark Gleeson, soccer commentator & journalist
• 24 February - Wendy Oldfield, singer
• 18 March - Yvonne Chaka Chaka, singer & businesswoman
• 5 April - Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo,king of the abaThembu
• 15 April - André Joubert, rugby player
• 13 April - Colleen De Reuck, long-distance runner
• 16 May - Kobus Wiese, former rugby player & tv personality
• 18 May - Balie Swart, rugby player
• 10 June - Keketso Semoko, actress and producer
• 11 July - Gavin Hunt, football coach
• 20 July - Deon Lotz, actor
• 26 July - Pitso Mosimane, former football player & coach
• 3 August - Lucky Dube, reggae musician
• 4 September - Menzi Ngubane, actor
• 1 October - Roger De Sa, former football player & coach
• 5 October - Masoja Msiza, actor and poet
• 3 November - Brenda Fassie, singer
• 12 December - Ringo Madlingozi, musician

  Deaths

• 7 June - Charlie Llewellyn, first non-white South African test cricketer.
• 6 November - Vuyisile Mini, South African anti-apartheid activist.

  Railways

Locomotives

• The South African Railways places the first of one hundred Class 5E1, Series 3 electric locomotives in mainline service, built by Union Carriage & Wagon in Nigel, Transvaal.

  Sports

• Papwa Sewgolum, an Indian golfer, wins the Dutch Open tournament for the third time.