# 2023 in South Africa

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Events in the year 2023 in South Africa.

## Incumbents

* President: Cyril Ramaphosa (ANC)
* Deputy President:
** David Mabuza (ANC) until 28 February
** Paul Mashatile (ANC) starting 7 March
* Chief Justice: Raymond Zondo
* Deputy Chief Justice: Mandisa Maya
* President of the Supreme Court of Appeal: Xola Petse (acting)
* Deputy President of the Supreme Court of Appeal: Nambitha Dambuza (acting)
* Chairperson of the Electoral Court of South Africa: Boissie Henry Mbha
* Speaker of the National Assembly: Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula (ANC)
* Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly: Lechesa Tsenoli (ANC)
* Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly: John Steenhuisen (DA)
* Leader of Government Business: David Mabuza (ANC)
* Government Chief Whip (of the National Assembly): Pemmy Majodina (ANC)
* Opposition Chief Whip (of the National Assembly): Siviwe Gwarube (DA)
* Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces: Amos Masondo (ANC)
* Deputy Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces: Sylvia Lucas (ANC)
* Leader of the Opposition of the National Council of Provinces: Cathlene Labuschagne (DA)
* Chief Whip of the National Council of Provinces: Seiso Mohai (ANC)

### Cabinet

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

### Provincial Premiers

* Eastern Cape Province: Oscar Mabuyane (ANC)
* Free State Province: Sisi Ntombela (ANC)
* Gauteng Province: Panyaza Lesufi (ANC)
* KwaZulu-Natal Province: Nomusa Dube-Ncube (ANC)
* Limpopo Province: Stanley Mathabatha (ANC)
* Mpumalanga Province: Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane (ANC)
* North West Province: Bushy Maape (ANC)
* Northern Cape Province: Zamani Saul (ANC)
* Western Cape Province: Alan Winde (DA)

## Events

* 12 January – A truck crashes into several minibus taxis at an intersection in Roodepoort, Gauteng, killing five people and injuring nine others.
* 15 January – A light aircraft crashes in Nasrec, Johannesburg, South Africa, killing all three people on board.
* 27 January – South Africa agrees to send 12 cheetahs to India a year for the next 8 to 10 years to help establish a "viable and secure cheetah population" in the wild. The Asiatic cheetah became extinct in India in the 1940s due to hunting and habitat destruction.
* 29 January – Eight people are killed and three others are injured in a mass shooting at a birthday party in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.
* 5 February – South Africa reports imported cases of cholera in two sisters who travelled to Malawi.
* 14 February – Twenty people are killed and 68 others injured during a head-on collision between a tour bus and an armoured cash-in-transit van in Makhado, Limpopo.
* 20 March – South Africa prepares for a "nationwide shutdown" as the military is deployed ahead of protests by the Economic Freedom Fighters.
* 2 June – In February 2023, South Africa experienced a cholera outbreak that grew from 2 initial cases to 99 confirmed cases in Tshwane over the following months. Jubilee Hospital reported 17 deaths. Efforts to contain the outbreak led to a significant decrease in new cases by June 2023.
* 5 July – 2023 Boksburg gas leak – 17 people, including three children, died in a suspected gas leak in the Angelo informal settlement in Boksburg. According to emergency services, the leak appeared to be linked to illegal mining activities.
* 12 July – Six people were shot dead and four wounded in KwaNobuhle, Eastern Cape, after three men entered the yard of a home and opened fire.
* 19 July – Ramaphosa announces Russian president Vladimir Putin will not physically attend the BRICs summit next month. As a member of the International Criminal Court, South Africa is obligated to arrest Putin if he shows up.
* 20 July – A suspected underground gas explosion rips open roads and flips vehicles in Johannesburg, killing one and injuring at least 48.
* 31 August – A large building fire in the central business district of Johannesburg kills at least 73 people.
* 1 September – Eighteen people are killed during a shootout between robbers and police in Limpopo.
* 20 September – Three members of the South African Navy are killed and five others are rescued when large waves hit a submarine near Kommetjie, Western Cape.
* 28 October – 2023 Rugby World Cup: South Africa wins a record fourth Webb Ellis Cup after defeating New Zealand 12–11 in the final.
* 30 October – President Cyril Ramaphosa announces the 15th of December as a public holiday in celebration of the sports achievements (2023 Rugby World Cup:South Africa)
* 20 November – Israel recalls its ambassador from South Africa after Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni called on the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
* 27 November – Eleven workers are killed and 75 others are injured at an Impala platinum mine in Rustenburg, North West, when a lift transporting them to the surface drops approximately 200 metres (660 ft).
* 29 December – South Africa files the case South Africa v. Israel (Genocide Convention) against Israel at World Court.
* 30 December – Flash flooding kills 21 people in KwaZulu-Natal state.

### Holidays

South Africa has 12 public holidays; if a holiday falls on a Sunday, it is celebrated the following Monday.
* 1 January – New Year's Day
* 21 March – Human Rights Day
* 27 April – Freedom Day (National day)
* 1 May - National Worker's Day
* 16 June – Youth Day
* 9 August – National Women's Day
* 24 September – Heritage Day
* 16 December - Reconciliation Day
* 25 December - Christmas Day
* 26 December - Day of Goodwill

## Deaths
### January

* 8 January – Adriaan Vlok, 85, politician, minister of correctional services (1991–1994).

### February

* 6 February – John Moeti, 55, South African footballer.
* 10 February – AKA, 35, South African rapper, drive-by shooting.

### March

* 11 March – Costa Titch, 28, South African rapper.
* 25 March – Moosa Moolla, 88, Indian South African activist and diplomat.

### May

* 14 May – Billy Masetlha, 68, South African intelligence officer.

### June

* 5 June – Tina Joemat-Pettersson, 59, South African politician.
* 10 June – Clive Barker, 78, South African football coach.

### July

* 6 July – Essop Pahad, 84, South African politician.

### August

* 9 August – Doreen Mantle, 97, South African-born British actress (One Foot in the Grave, Jam & Jerusalem, Yentl).
* 22 August – Derek Watts, 74, South African investigative reporter and the presenter of Carte Blanche on M-Net, lung cancer.

### September

* 9 September – Mangosuthu Buthelezi, 95, South African politician.
* 27 September – Aziz Pahad, 82, South African politician.

### October

* 18 October – Mzwakhe Sibisi, 53, South African politician.

### November

* 19 November – Hannes Strydom, 58, South African rugby union player.

### December

* 11 December – Zahara, 36, South African singer and songwriter.
* 26 December – Alice Mthembu, 64, South African politician, car accident.
* 27 December – Mbongeni Ngema, 68, South African musician and playwright (Sarafina!, Woza Albert!), car accident.