← 1996 1995 1994 1997 in South Africa → 1998 1999 2000
Decades:	1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s
See also:	1997 in South African sport List of years in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1997 in South Africa.

Contents

• Incumbents
• Cabinet
• National Assembly
• Provincial Premiers
• Events
• Births
• Deaths
• Sports
• Athletics
• References

Incumbents

• President: Nelson Mandela. ^[1]
• Deputy President: Thabo Mbeki.
• Chief Justice: vacant.

Events

February

• 4 – The Constitution of South Africa comes into effect.

March

• 19 – Denel and Aérospatiale sign a co-operation agreement.
• 28 – President Nelson Mandela and Prime Minister of India H. D. Deve Gowda sign the Red Fort Declaration on a Strategic Partnership during Mandela's state visit to India.

April

• 7 – South African soap opera Muvhango debuts on SABC 2.
• 23 – Eugène Terre'Blanche, Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging leader, is convicted of attempted murder and assault in the Magistrates Court in Potchefstroom.
• 26 – Winnie Madikizela-Mandela is re-elected as president of the African National Congress's Women's League by 656 votes to 114.

August

• Dirk Coetzee, David Tshikalange and Butana Almond Nofomela, former members of the Vlakplaas counter-insurgency unit, are granted amnesty by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in respect of the murder of Durban attorney Griffiths Mxenge in November 1981.

October

• 2 – After broadcasting in its homeland for 7 months, the BBC preschool series Teletubbies premieres on South African television for the first time. The series begins on M-Net as part of its children's programming block K-T.V. .
• 10 – A combined version of Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika and Die Stem van Suid-Afrika becomes the National Anthem.
• 30 – The South African National Defence Force announces that it had completed destroying its stock pile of anti-personnel mines.
• South Africa and India sign the terms of reference of the India-South Africa Commercial Alliance and agreements in tourism, geology and mineral resources. The science and technology co-operation program is ratified.

December

• 16–20 – The African National Congress holds its 50th National Conference in Mafikeng.

Unknown Date

• Cabinet and parliamentary approval is announced by Thabo Mbeki of the Defence Review which enables the South African National Defence Force to undertake tenders for R12bn worth of arms equipment. ^[2]

Births

• 3 January – Zakhele Lepasa, soccer player
• 24 January – Teboho Mokoena (soccer, born 1997), soccer player
• 11 February – Nasty C, rapper, songwriter and record producer
• 24 April – Tiisetso Makhubela, soccer player
• 25 June – Curwin Bosch, rugby player
• 15 July – Manie Libbok, rugby player
• 3 October – Jo-Ane van Dyk, javelin thrower

Deaths

• 16 July — Lydia Lindeque, actor. (b. 1916) ^[3]
• 25 November — Hastings Banda, the first president of Malawi, dies in Johannesburg (b. 1898)

Sports

References