1972 in South Africa
The following lists events that happened during 1972 in South Africa. Incumbents
 State President: Jim Fouché. Prime Minister: John Vorster. Chief Justice: Newton Ogilvie Thompson. Events

May
 3 – Abram Onkgopotse Tiro is expelled from the University of the North and students protest the expulsion. 4 – South Africa and Lesotho decide to establish reciprocal consular representation. August
 12 – Oil tankers Oswego-Guardian and Texanita collide near Stilbaai. October
 1 – 1 Reconnaissance Commando is established at Oudtshoorn. Unknown date
 A South African Special Forces team carry out a submarine-borne raid on the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam using the SAS Emily Hobhouse, a Daphne class submarine. The South African Police deploys to South West Africa. Conscription for all white males is extended from 9 to 12 months, followed by a 19-day annual call-up for five years. Operation Plathond, a joint South African Defence Force and South African Bureau of State Security operation, is launched to train dissident Zambians in the Caprivi Strip, South West Africa. Births
 2 February – Hendrick Ramaala, long-distance runner. 4 February – Sthandiwe Kgoroge, actress. 21 February – Mark Andrews (rugby player), rugby player. 12 March – Arno Carstens, singer-songwriter, lead singer of Springbok Nude Girls. 22 March – Baby Cele, actress. 26 March – Willem Jackson, football player
 3 April – Alfred Ntombela, actor. 21 June – Irene van Dyk, South African and New Zealand netball player. 23 June – Slindile Nodangala, actress. 15 July – Sophie Ndaba, actress. 16 August – James Dalton (rugby player), rugby player. 25 August – Elmarie Gerryts, pole vaulter. 8 September – Os du Randt, Springboks rugby player. 16 October – Jacques Nienaber, Springboks coach. 28 October – David James, actor. 31 October – Shaun Bartlett, former soccer player & coach. 14 November – Florence Masebe, actress. 7 December – Sean Dundee, football player. 16 December – Kuli Roberts, journalist, TV presenter, author
 23 December – Somizi Mhlongo, choreographer, actor and radio personality. 26 December – Colleen Piketh, lawn bowler

Deaths

 14 May – Lawrence G. Green, journalist and author. (b. 1900)
 11 August – Max Theiler, South African-American virologist and physician and Nobel Prize laureate. (b. 1899)

Railways

Locomotives
 In March the South African Railways places the first of seventy Class 35-000 General Electric type U15C diesel-electric locomotives in branchline service. References

South Africa
Years in South Africa
History of South Africa