Incumbents
State President: Jim Fouché.
Prime Minister: John Vorster.
Chief Justice: Newton Ogilvie Thompson then Frans Lourens Herman Rumpff.
John Voster laying a wreah at Yad Vashem (in 1976 at the invitation of Shimon Peres who visited South Africa in the same year)
Events
January
4 – Harry Schwarz and Chief Minister of KwaZulu Gatsha Buthelezi sign the Mahlabatini Declaration of Faith.
11 – David, Elizabeth, Emma, Grant, Jason and Nicolette Rosenkowitz are born in Cape Town, the first sextuplets in the world where all six babies survive.
March
18 – Members of the World Council of Churches's Executive or Central Committee are banned from South Africa.
19 – The Narcotics Bureau of the South African Police is established.
19 – Harry Schwarz and Chief Minister Cedric Phatudi of Lebowa sign the Seshego Declaration.
April
24 – A whites only general election takes place and is won by the National Party.
25 – A coup in Portugal leads to that country's withdrawal from its colonies in Angola and Mozambique.
May
6 May – The British and Irish Lions begin a controversial twenty-two match rugby union tour of South Africa and Rhodesia.
29 – Prime Minister of South Africa John Vorster and Prime Minister of Rhodesia Ian Smith meet and agree to co-operative co-existence with and non-interference in the internal affairs of a black-ruled Mozambique.
John Voster and Ian Smith
June
5 – The Japanese government announces that South Africans will no longer be granted visas to enter Japan.
July
7 – New Zealand imposes a blanket ban on sports teams from South Africa.
September
22–23 – Prime Minister of South Africa John Vorster and President of Côte d'Ivoire Félix Houphouët-Boignyhold talks.
October
25 – Pik Botha declares at the United Nations that South Africa is beginning to make far-reaching reforms.
November
26 – Anneline Kriel is crowned as Miss World 1974, the second South African to hold the title after Penny Coelen in 1958, when Helen Morgan resigns four days after winning the 24th Miss World pageant.
Then aged 19 and now aged 63
