The following lists events that happened during 1977 in South Africa.
Incumbents
State President: Nico Diederichs. Prime Minister: John Vorster. Chief Justice: Frans Lourens Herman Rumpff.
Events
January
8 – The railway line near Soweto is maliciously damaged.
February
1 – KwaZulu is granted self-governance. 24 – A bomb explodes at the Daveyton Police Station, causing only superficial damage.
March
5 – British Formula One driver Tom Pryce dies during the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami when his car strikes and kills marshal Frederik Jansen van Vuuren. 7 – A Pretoria restaurant is destroyed by a bomb.
April
1 – Pik Botha, South Africa's ambassador in the United States of America, is appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
June
4 – Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa is served a 5-year restriction order. 15 – Monty Motlaung and Solomon Mahlangu, two Umkhonto we Sizwe cadres, kill two civilians and are arrested. 29 – The United Party is renamed the New Republic Party.
July
15 – The railway line at Umlazi in Durban is maliciously damaged. 29 – The Antipolis, a Greek oil tanker, runs aground on the rocks near Victoria Road in Oudekraal, Cape Town.
August
A Soviet surveillance satellite detects South Africa's nuclear test preparations and alerts the United States. Black Consciousness leader Steve Biko is detained for breaking a banning order.
September
23 – The Netherlands suspends its cultural agreement with South Africa.
November
4 – United Nations Security Council Resolution 418 places a mandatory arms embargo against South Africa. 25 – Fourteen people are injured when a bomb explodes at the Carlton Centre. 30 – A bomb explodes on a Pretoria-bound train. 30 – A whites only general election is held. The National Party wins. The railway at Dunswart (Boksburg) and Apex (Benoni) is maliciously damaged and a train driver is slightly injured.
December
12 – Guerrillas attack the Germiston police station. 14 – A bomb explodes at the Benoni railway station. 16 – The Venpet-Venoil collision between two supertankers occurs off the coast of Cape St. Francis. 22 – An unexploded bomb is found in OK Bazaars in Roodepoort.
Unknown date
Former members of the United Party join the Progressive Reform Party, which is renamed the Progressive Federal Party. Cedric Mayson, a Methodist minister, is banned for 5 years.
Births
20 January – Paul Adams (cricketer), cricketer
21 January – Bradley Carnell, football player
30 January – Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, national minister
31 January – David Terbrugge, cricketer
14 February – Elmer Symons, motorcycle enduro racer (d. 2007) 6 March – Khoto Sesinyi, Mosotho footballer 14 March – Matthew Booth (soccer), soccer player 24 April – Zola (musician), musician, poet, actor and presenter. 11 May – Victor Matfield, Springbok rugby player 21 May – Quinton Fortune, soccer player & coach 13 June – Stanton Fredericks, soccer player 18 June – Riaad Moosa, comedian, actor and doctor 6 July – Makhaya Ntini, cricketer 12 August – Zanne Stapelberg, soprano singer 26 August – Gareth Cliff, radio host, television personality and businessman 2 October – Justin Kemp, cricketer 21 October – Brett Goldin, actor (d. 2006) 12 November – Benni McCarthy, soccer striker & coach 12 November – Susan Wessels-Webber, hockey player 17 November – Ryk Neethling, swimmer 25 November – MacBeth Sibaya, soccer player 2 December – Siyabonga Nomvethe, soccer player 7 December – Delron Buckley, footballer
Deaths
29 January – Buster Nupen 75, cricketer. (b. 1902) 20 February – Christoffel Venter 84, South African Air Force general. (b. 1892) 5 March – Tom Pryce 27, a Welsh racing driver, (b. 1949) killed during the 1977 South African Grand Prix in Midrand 8 March – Moses Kottler, sculptor. (b. 1896) 12 September – Steve Biko 30, black consciousness activist. (b. 1946)
Railways
Locomotives
The South African Railways places the first of 150 Class 6E1, Series 7 electric locomotives in mainline service.
Sports
Motorsport
5 March – The South African Grand Prix takes place at Kyalami.