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See also: 1995 in South Africa, other events of 1996, 1996 in South African sport 1997 in South Africa and the Timeline of South African history.

Events

February

• Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in his capacity as Grand President of the British Commonwealth Ex-Services League visits South Africa
• 26 February - South Africa and Algeria restore diplomatic ties

March

• 11 March - The trial of General Magnus Malan, former defence minister, and 19 other co-accused starts in the Durban Supreme Court
• 19 March - Nelson Mandela formally ends his 38-year marriage to Winnie Mandela when the Rand Supreme Court grants him a divorce
• 23 March - Approximately 6,000 Inkatha Freedom Party supporters armed with fighting sticks, spears, clubs and battle axes rally in the Tugela Ferry area of Kwazulu Natal in defiance of a national ban on traditional weapon

May

• 2 May - South Africa and China exchange letters granting each other most-favoured-nation status
• 8 May - South Africa's new constitution is adopted by the Constitutional Assembly

April

• 15 April - The Truth and Reconciliation Commission starts its first formal hearings

June

• 19 June - Roberto Robaina Gonzalez, Cuban Foreign Minister visits South Africa

July

• President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, visits the United Kingdom on a state visit.

August

• Mimi Coertse receives the highest accolade an artist can receive from the Austrian Government, the Oesterreichishe Ehrenkreuz für Wissenschaft und Kunst

September

• 6 September - The Constitutional Court delivers judgement on the new constitution
• 11 September - A mining agreement on wages and working conditions is signed between the Chamber of Mines and the National Union of Mineworkers

October

• General Magnus Malan, former defence minister, and 19 other co-accused is acquitted on all charges relating to the massacre of 13 people in KwaMakhuta township south of Durban in 1987
• The first South African National Census since the end of apartheid is held
• 11 October - The constitution is amended by the Constitutional Assembly

December

• 4 December - A number of agreements relating to culture, double taxation, fiscal evasion and a memorandum of understanding relating to defence equipment are signed by Thabo Mbeki, Deputy President of South Africa on a state visit to India
• 10 December - The new constitution is signed into law

Unknown date

• Trevor Manuel is appointed Minister of Finance

Sport

Athletics

• February 25 – Josia Thugwane wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:11:46 in Pinelands.

Births

Deaths

• 15 January - King Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho is killed in a car accident
• 16 December - Laurens van der Post, author, farmer, war hero, political adviser, educator, journalist, humanitarian, philosopher, explorer, and conservationist, dies at the age of 90