The following lists events that happened during the 1600s in South Africa.
Events 1594 - 1601 - James Lancaster, an English navigator, explores the southern African coast and establishes trade relationships with the Khoikhoi Europeans being settling in South Africa, increasing colonization and trade with the Khoikhoi. Representatives of the British East India Company began calling sporadically at the Cape in search of provisions. Nguni and Sotho groups begin to split into modern identities such as Zulu, Ndebele, Tswana, and Xhosa. 1601 - Joris van Spilbergen anchors in Table Bay. 20 March 1602 - The Vereenigde Landsche Ge-Oktroyeerde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC) trading company, better known as the Dutch East India Company, receives a charter from the States General, which entails a trading monopoly and the right to acquire and govern Dutch possessions in the Orient for a period of 21 years. 1608 - The Portuguese ship, Santo Esperitu, is believed to have been shipwrecked off the eastern coast of South Africa
References
Bibliography See Years in South Africa for further sources.