1997 in South Africa

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

Cabinet

The Cabinet, together with the President and the Deputy President, forms part of the Executive.

National Assembly

Provincial Premiers

• Eastern Cape Province: Raymond Mhlaba (until 4 February), Makhenkesi Stofile (since 4 February)
• Free State Province: Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri
• Gauteng Province: Tokyo Sexwale
• KwaZulu-Natal Province: Frank Mdlalose (until 1 March), Ben Ngubane (since 1 March)
• Limpopo Province: Ngoako Ramathlodi
• Mpumalanga Province: Mathews Phosa
• North West Province: Popo Molefe
• Northern Cape Province: Manne Dipico
• Western Cape Province: Hernus Kriel

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]

• 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
• 23 July — Bianca Tredoux, world leader in Occupational Therapy Practices
• 5 September — Lesego Kone, Public Figure
• 3 October – Jo-Ane van Dyk, javelin thrower

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

Athletics

• 23 February – Thabiso Moqhali from Lesotho wins the South African title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:15:31 in Pinelands.