See also: 1952 in South Africa, other events of 1953, 1954 in South Africa and the Timeline of South African history.

Events

May

• 9 May - The South African Liberal Party is formed in Cape Town by Alan Paton

July

• 29 July - Santam Insurance Company is registered, following the separation of trust and insurance operations

September

• Mimi Coertse leaves South Africa for London

November

• 22 November - The South Africa national football team loses to the Portugal national football team 1-3 at the National Stadium, Lisbon, Portugal in a friendly match

December

• 18 - 20 December - The 42nd Annual Conference of the African National Congress is held in Queenstown

Births

• 13 January - Derek Hanekom, activist and politician, is born in Cape Town
• 30 January - Paul Emile Rossouw, athlete, is born in Springs

Deaths

• 14 March - Sir Robert N Kotzé, a mining engineer who did much for the promotion of safety in mines dies in Cape Town at the age of 82
• 1 July - Totius, Afrikaans poet, dies in Pretoria at the age of 76