The Union of South Africa competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. 50 competitors, 44 men and 6 women, took part in 50 events in 10 sports.
Medalists
Bronze
Daniel Bekker — Boxing, Men's Heavyweight
Henry Loubscher — Boxing, Men's Light Welterweight
Alfred Swift — Cycling, Men's 1.000m Time Trial
Moira Abernethy, Jeanette Myburgh, Natalie Myburgh and Susan Roberts — Swimming, Women's 4 × 100 m Freestyle Relay
Athletics
Men's 110m Hurdles
Danie Burger
Heat — 14.4s
Semifinals — 15.0s (→ did not advance)
Men's Marathon
Mercer Davis — 2:39:48 (→ 14th place) Jan Barnard — did not finish (→ no ranking)
Men's Discus Throw
Fanie du Plessis
Qualifying Heat — 50.69
Final — 48.49 (→ 13th place)
Boxing
Cycling
Sprint
Thomas Shardelow — 8th place
Time trial
Alfred Swift — 1:11.6 (→ Bronze Medal)
Tandem
Raymond RobinsonThomas Shardelow — 7th place
Team pursuit
Alfred SwiftAnne Jan HettemaCharles JonkerRobert Fowler — 4:39.4 (→ 4th place)
Individual road race
Alfred Swift — did not finish (→ no ranking) Robert Fowler — did not finish (→ no ranking) Anne Jan Hettema — did not finish (→ no ranking) Charles Jonker — did not finish (→ no ranking)
Gymnastics
Modern pentathlon
Three male pentathletes represented South Africa in 1956.
Individual
Okkie van Greunen
Harry Schmidt
Marthinus du Plessis
Team
Okkie van Greunen
Harry Schmidt
Marthinus du Plessis
Sailing
Shooting
Two shooters represented South Africa in 1956.