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Events

January

• 13 January — Mark Thatcher pleads guilty to unwittingly bankrolling an alleged coup d'état plot in Equatorial Guinea.
• 31 January — Thabo Mbeki, the President of South Africa, has a narrow escape when he is nearly hit by a car shortly after the African Union heads-of-state summit in Abuja, Nigeria.

February

• 15 February — The South African Air Force issues a stop-flying instruction for the 7 C-130BZ Hercules transport aircraft because of cracks in the wingspans. This leaves the airforce with only 2 ex USAF C-130Bs.

March

• 8 March — Pretoria's council votes to change the city's name to Tshwane. The move is yet to be ratified.
• 9 March — An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale occurs at Stilfontein's Hartebeestfontein gold mine.
• 18 March — An South African Air Force Alouette III helicopter crashes next to the N3 highway in Harrismith.
• 25-27 March — The Griqua people gather in Philippolis, Free State to celebrate their heritage.

April

• 9 April — A South African Air Force Pilatus PC-7 Mk2 Astra training aircraft crashes near Lichtenburg killing trainee pilot Oupa Ramaiti during his second attempt at flying solo.
• 28 April — South Africa becomes a partner in the Airbus A400M airlifter programme and signs for 8 aircraft, with another six on option.

May

• 23 May — A seismic event measuring about 3.5 on the Richter scale occurs at 08:10 with its epicentre at Carletonville, west of Johannesburg and causes rockfalls at East Driefontein gold mine, injuring 19 miners, 3 seriously.
• 26 May — The South African Geographical Names Council approves changing the name of Pretoria to Tshwane.

June

• 7-10 June — The second national AIDS conference is held in Durban.
• 8 June — Schabir Shaik is found guilty and is sentenced to 15 years on two counts of corruption and 3 years on a count of fraud.
• 14 June — Jacob Zuma is relieved of his post as Deputy President of South Africa, following the verdict in Schabir Shaik's trial on the 8th. He is to stand trial the following year.
• 22 June — Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is appointed the new Deputy President of South Africa.
• 22 June — Four of the South African Air Force C-130BZ Hercules transport aircraft are released for flying operations but under flying and maintenance restrictions.
• 27 June — The Congress of South African Trade Unions hold a one day nationwide strike over unemployment and poverty.
• 28 June — Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa, and Laurent Gbagbo, President of Côte d'Ivoire, hold talks in Pretoria to advance peace in Côte d'Ivoire.

July

• 4 July — A South African Air Force MB-326K Impala II jet crashes just after take-off from Hoedspruit when it hit two vultures. Pilot Captain Colin Sparke ejected safely.
• 12 July — The South African Municipal Workers Union holds a 1 day strike during wage negotiations.
• 22 - 28 July - South African Airways cabin crew workers go on strike over a wage dispute.
• 22 July - 2 August — Pick 'n Pay (a large supermarket chain store) workers go on strike over a wage dispute.
• 27 - 29 July — The South African Municipal Workers Union holds a 3 day strike as a warning in wage negotiations.

August

• 7 - 11 August — The National Union of Mineworkers goes on strike to demand better pay.
• 8 - 14 August — The South African Municipal Workers Union goes on strike over a wage dispute.

September

• 10 September — A Sasol Tigers' Aero L-29 Delfin jet crashes during an aerobatic display at an airshow in Vereeniging, killing both pilots Gabriel Siyabonga Ndabandaba and Johnny "Jet" Hattingh.

October

• South Africa announces a R140 million (USD $22 million) donation to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to alleviate food shortages in Southern Africa.
• Jacob Zuma, former Deputy President of South Africa is charged with corruption by the National Prosecuting Authority.

November

• The Advertising Standards Authority finds that advertising proclaiming that Tshwane, rather than Pretoria, as the capital of South Africa is misleading as the name Tshwane has not yet been approved by the Arts and Culture Minister.
• 10 November — The Southern African Large Telescope (Salt) in Sutherland, the largest telescope in the Southern Hemisphere, is inaugurated.
• 11 November — A fault at Koeberg nuclear power station results in a shutdown of the reactor, cutting supply to much of the Western Cape. Power is restored to most areas within 2 hours.
• 11 November — The first South African Air Force JAS 39D Gripen makes its maiden flight at Saab's Flight Test Centre in Linköping, Sweden.
• 16 November — A fire under a 400kV transmission line results in a second trip at Koeberg, causing another blackout across the Western Cape.
• 23 November — A routine inspection at Koeberg reveals a diminished chemical level in the backup safety system, resulting in a controlled shutdown. Backup generation is used to avert power loss until Friday 25 November, when major cuts take place throughout the day in the Western, Northern and Eastern Cape. Power is restored to normal by Saturday 26 November.
• 27 November — Karin Kortje is voted as South Africa's third Idols winner, beating Gift Gwe in the final, and in so doing becomes the first non-white to win the competition.

December

• 1 December — The South African Constitutional Court orders parliament to amend the marriage laws to allow gay weddings within a year.
• 6 December — Jacob Zuma, former Deputy President of South Africa is charged with rape.

Sport

Athletics

• 20 February — Johannes Kekana wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:19:16 in Durban.

Deaths

• 6 January — Makgatho Mandela, Nelson Mandela's eldest son dies of AIDS at the age of 54.
• 19 January — K. Sello Duiker, novelist.
• 20 February — Dalene Matthee, novelist.
• 16 March — Allan Hendrickse, politician and former Labour Party leader dies at the age of 77.
• 21 April — Bavumile Vilakazi, the South African High Commissioner to Uganda, dies of a heart attack in Kampala.
• 12 June — Rain Queen Makobo Modjadji VI of the Balobedu people in the Limpopo Province, dies in Polokwane.
• 30 June — King Ingwenyama Mayitjha III of the Ndzundza-Mabhoko people (Ndebele), dies.
• August — Howard Watt, rugby player, dies.
• 7 September — Ettienne Botha, Blue Bulls Rugby union player, is killed in a car accident.
• 16 September — Mzukisi Sikali, boxer.
• 29 November — Deon van der Walt, tenor.
• 4 December — Sophie Mgcina, actress and musician, dies at the age of 67 from heart failure.
• 31 December — Xolilizwe Mzikayise Sigcawu dies at No 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria.

See also

• 2004 in South Africa
• other events of 2005
• 2005 in South African sport
• 2006 in South Africa
• Timeline of South African history