2001 in South Africa

Incumbents

• President: Thabo Mbeki.
• Deputy President: Jacob Zuma.
• Chief Justice: vacant then Arthur Chaskalson.

  Events

• 18 - The Department of Health declines the offer of a large donation of HIV test kits made by Guardian Scientific Africa Incorporated.

• 5 - George Bizos is awarded the 2001 International Trial Lawyer Prize of the Year by the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.
• 11 - Pfizer Inc. agrees to supply AIDS patients attending public hospitals with an unlimited two-year supply of Fluconazole.
• 30 - South Africa and India sign a declaration of intent on co-operation in health and medicine.

• 11 - The Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area is signed into existence.
• 12–15 - President Thabo Mbeki undertakes a state visit to the United Kingdom.

• 1–8 - Durban hosts the World Conference against Racism.

• 4 - The first 40 of a planned 1000 elephants, including 3 breeding herds, are translocated from the over-populated Kruger National Park to the war-ravaged Limpopo National Park.
• 9 - The second South African National Census takes place.
• The name of the Gaza-Kruger-Gonarezhou Transfrontier Park is changed to the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park.

• 4 - Marike de Klerk, ex-wife of former State President Frederik Willem de Klerk, is murdered in her flat in Bloubergrant.

• The New National Party withdraws from the Democratic Alliance.

  Births

• 11 April - Jonathan Bird, cricketer

  Deaths

• 26 April - Frederick Guy Butler, poet, academic and writer
• 1 June - Nkosi Johnson, HIV/AIDS activist.
• 13 August - Fanie du Plessis, athlete.
• 19 August - Donald Woods, journalist and activist.
• 30 August - Govan Mbeki, South African political activist and the father of Thabo Mbeki.
• 2 September - Christiaan Barnard, cardiac surgeon.
• 26 November - Joe Modise, South African political activist.
• 4 December - Marike de Klerk, former first lady.

  Railways

Locomotives

• The first of seventeen Class 7E3, Series 1 and Series 2 dual-cab electric locomotives are rebuilt by Spoornet to single-cabs and enter service reclassified to Class 7E4.

  Sports

Athletics

• 4 March - Ian Syster wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:13:30 in Durban.