There are many places in South Africa named after people.
Western Cape
- Albertinia – Johannes Rudolph Albertyn [1]
- Athlone – Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone
- Beaufort West – Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort
- Bellville – Charles Davidson Bell
- Bredasdorp – Michiel van Breda, later first Mayor of Cape Town [1]
- Caledon – 2nd Earl of Caledon
- Calitzdorp – Calitz family [1]
- Camps Bay (Cape Town) – Friedrich von Kamptz
- Clanwilliam – 1st Earl of Clanwilliam [1]
- Darling – Charles Henry Darling, lieutenant-governor of Cape Colony
- Durbanville – Sir Benjamin d'Urban
- George – King George III of the United Kingdom
- Gordon's Bay – Robert Jacob Gordon
- Hermanus – Hermanus Pieters [1]
- Hopefield – Col William Hope and William Field [1]
- Ladismith – Lady Smith, wife of Sir Harry Smith
- Laingsburg – John Laing
- Lamberts Bay – Admiral Sir Robert Lambert
- Maitland, Cape Town – Sir Peregrine Maitland, governor of Cape Colony
- Malmesbury – 1st Earl of Malmesbury [1]
- McGregor – Rev Andrew McGregor [1]
- Milnerton – Sir Alfred Milner
- Montagu – John Montagu
- Moorreesburg – Rev Johannes Moorrees
- Murraysburg – Reverend Andrew Murray Snr
- Napier – Sir George Napier, governor of Cape Colony
- Oudtshoorn – Baron Pieter van Reede van Oudtshoorn, governor of Cape Colony
- Parow – Johann Heinrich Parow [1]
- Plettenberg Bay – Baron Joachim Ammema van Plettenberg, governor of Cape Colony
- Porterville – William Porter, attorney-general of Cape Colony
- Prince Albert – Prince Albert
- Prince Alfred Hamlet – The Prince Alfred, second son of Queen Victoria
- Riebeeck Kasteel – Jan van Riebeeck
- Riebeeck West – Jan van Riebeeck
- Riversdale – Harry Rivers
- Robertson – Rev Dr William Robertson
- Saldanha – Antonio de Saldanha
- Simon's Town – Simon van der Stel
- Somerset West – Lord Charles Henry Somerset, governor of Cape Colony
- Stellenbosch – Simon van der Stel, governor of Cape Colony
- Swellendam – Hendrik Swellengrebel and his wife Helena Ten Damme
- Tulbagh – Ryk Tulbagh, governor of Cape Colony
- Vanrhynsdorp – Petrus Benjamin van Rhyn [1]
- Wellington – Duke of Wellington
- Wolseley – Viscount Wolseley
- Worcester – Marquess of Worcester [1]
Eastern Cape
- Adelaide – Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen
- Alexandria, Eastern Cape – Rev Alexander Smit [1]
- Alfred Nzo District Municipality – Alfred Baphethuxolo Nzo
- Alice – Princess Alice, second daughter of Queen Victoria
- Aliwal North – Sir Harry Smith, 1st Baronet of Aliwal
- Balfour, Eastern Cape – Robert Balfour, secretary of the Glasgow Missionary Society
- Barkly East – Sir Henry Barkly
- Bedford – Duke of Bedford
- Butterworth – Joseph Butterworth
- Chris Hani District Municipality – Chris Hani
- Cradock – John Cradock, 1st Baron Howden
- Dias Division – Bartolommeo Dias
- Elliot – Henry George Elliot
- Fort Beaufort – Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort
- Graaff-Reinet – Cornelis van der Graaff and his wife Hester Reynet
- Grahamstown – John Graham
- Humansdorp – Johannes Jurie Human and Matthys Gerhardus Human
- Jansenville – Jan Willem Janssens
- Joe Gqabi District Municipality – Joe Nzingo Gqabi (1929–1981)
- Joubertina – Rev W. A. Joubert [1]
- King William's Town – King William IV
- Kirkwood – James Somers Kirkwood [1]
- Lady Grey – Lady Eliza Lucy Grey
- Maclear – Thomas Maclear
- Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality – Nelson Mandela
- OR Tambo District Municipality – Oliver Tambo
- Philipstown – Sir Philip Wodehouse, governor of Cape Colony [1]
- Port Alfred – The Prince Alfred, second son of Queen Victoria
- Port Elizabeth – Elizabeth Donkin (wife of acting governor Sir Rufane Shaw Donkin)
- Queenstown – Queen Victoria
- Richmond, Eastern Cape – Duke of Richmond [1]
- Sarah Baartman District Municipality – Sarah Baartman (1789–1815)
- Seymour – Colonel Seymour [1]
- Somerset East – Lord Charles Henry Somerset, governor of Cape Colony
- Steynsburg – Andries Steyn [1]
- Steytlerville – Abraham Isaac Steytler
- Stutterheim – Baron von Stutterheim [1]
- Uitenhage – Jacob Uitenhage de Mist
Northern Cape
- Barkly West – Sir Henry Barkly
- Calvinia – John Calvin, from its church dedicated to him
- Carnarvon – Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon
- Cathcart – Sir George Cathcart
- Colesberg – Sir Galbraith Lowry Cole [1]
- Douglas – Lieutenant-General Sir Percy Douglas
- Frances Baard District Municipality – Frances Baard
- Jankempdorp – Gen Jan Kemp
- John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality – John Taolo Gaetsewe
- Kimberley – John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley
- Loxton – A.E. Loxton [1]
- Molteno – John Charles Molteno, first prime minister of Cape Colony
- Port Nolloth – Captain M. S. Nolloth
- Pixley ka Seme District Municipality – Dr. Pixley ka Isaka Seme, one of the founders of African National Congress
- Reivilo – Rev A.J. Olivier [1]
- Sutherland – Henry Sutherland, pastor who established the church around which the settlement grew
- Upington – Thomas Upington
- Victoria West – Queen Victoria
- Warrenton – Sir Charles Warren
- Williston – Colonel Willis
- ZF Mgcawu District Municipality – Z. F. Mgcawu, Upington's first post-1994 democratically elected mayor
Free State
- Allanridge – Allan Roberts [1]
- Brandfort – Johannes Brand, state president of the Orange Free State [1]
- Cornelia – Cornelia Mulder, wife of Francis William Reitz, president of the Orange Free State [1]
- Dealesville – John Henry Deale [1]
- Deneysville – Deneys Reitz
- Dewetsdorp – Jacobus de Wet, father of General Christiaan de Wet
- Fauresmith – Reverend Phillip Faure and Sir Harry Smith, 1st Baronet
- Fezile Dabi District Municipality – Fezile Abram Dabi (1956–1997)
- Harrismith – Sir Harry Smith, 1st Baronet
- Hennenman – P.F. Hennenman [1]
- Hertzogville – James Barry Munnik Hertzog [1]
- Hobhouse – Emily Hobhouse [1]
- Kestell – Rev Dr J.D. Kestell [1]
- Lindley – Rev Daniel Lindley [1]
- Paul Roux – Dr Paul Roux
- Philippolis – Rev Dr John Philip [1]
- Rouxville – Rev Pieter Roux [1]
- Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality – Thabo Edwin Mofutsanyana (1899–1995)
- Viljoenskroon – Hans Viljoen and his horse 'Kroon' [1]
- Villiers – Lourens de Villiers
- Warden – Charles Warden, administrator of the Orange River Sovereignty [1]
- Zastron – Johanns sibella Zastron, wife of president Johannes Brand [1]
Gauteng
- Alexandra – Alexandra Papenfus (wife of farmer)
- Benoni – the original name of the Biblical Benjamin
- Boksburg – W.E. Bok, state secretary of the South African Republic
- Carletonville – Guy Carleton Jones
- Johannesburg – Johannes Rissik; Johannes Meyer
- Krugersdorp – Paul Kruger
- Pretoria – Andries Pretorius
- Sharpeville – John Sharpe
- Vanderbijlpark – Hendrik van der Bijl
KwaZulu-Natal
- Cato Ridge – George Christopher Cato, the first mayor of Durban
- Colenso – Bishop John Colenso
- Durban – Sir Benjamin d'Urban
- Estcourt – Thomas Estcourt
- Greytown – George Edward Grey
- Harry Gwala District Municipality – Harry Gwala
- Hibberdene – C. Maxwell-Hibberd
- King Cetshwayo District Municipality – Cetshwayo kaMpande
- La Lucia – Lucia Michel
- Ladysmith – Lady Smith, wife of Sir Harry Smith
- Melmoth – Sir Melmoth Osborne, governor of Zululand
- Newcastle – Duke of Newcastle
-
Pietermaritzburg –
Two theories exist.
- In the theory officially accepted today by the city, it bears the name of Voortrekker leaders Piet Retief and Gert Maritz.
- In another theory, the city was originally named after Retief alone, initially "Pieter Mouriets Burg" (after his given names) and transformed to its current form.
- Pinetown – Sir Benjamin Pine, governor of Natal
- Port Edward – Edward VIII
- Port Shepstone – Theophilus Shepstone
- Richard's Bay – Frederick Richards
- Scottburgh – John Scott, lieutenant-governor of Natal
- Westville – Martin West, the first British lieutenant-governor of Natal
Limpopo
- Louis Trichardt – Louis Trichardt
Mpumalanga
- Balfour – Arthur James Balfour
- Barberton – Harry and Fred Barber, pioneer gold prospectors [1]
- Breyten – Nicolaas Breytenbach [1]
- Carolina – Carolina Coetzee, wife of the owner of the land on which the town was developed [1]
- Evander – Evelyn Anderson [1]
- Gert Sibande District Municipality – ANC activist Gert Sibande (1901–1987)
- Groblersdal – W.J. Grobler [1]
- Machadodorp – General Jose Machado [1]
- Nelspruit – Andries, Gert and Louis Nel [1]
- Paulpietersburg – Paul Kruger and Petrus Jacobus Joubert
- Piet Retief – Piet Retief
- Standerton – A.J. Stander, owner of the farm on which the town was developed [1]
- Trichardt – Carolus Johannes Trichardt, son of Louis Trichardt
North West
- Brits – Gert Brits, owner of the farm on which the town was developed [1]
- Christiana – Christiana Pretorius, daughter of president Marthinus Wessel Pretorius [1]
- Coligny – Admiral Gaspard II de Coligny [1]
- Delareyville – General Jacobus de la Rey [1]
- Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality – Kenneth Kaunda, First President of Zambia
- Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality – Ruth Mompati
- Klerksdorp – Jacob de Clerq
- Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality – Dr Silas Molema
- Potchefstroom – the first syllable comes from the surname of the town's founder Andries Hendrik Potgieter
- Schweizer Reneke – Captain Schweizer and Field Cornet Reneke [1]
- Ventersdorp – Johannes Venter, owner of the farm on which the town was developed [1]
- Wolmaransstad – J.M.A. Wolmarans
- Zeerust – Diederick Coetzee (the town was originally named 'Coetzee-Rust') [1]
Former
- Ellisras (Limpopo) was the name of Lephalale – Patrick Ellis and Piet Erasmus (farm owners)
- Pietersburg (Limpopo) was the name of Polokwane – Petrus Jacobus Joubert
- Potgietersrus (Limpopo) was the name of Mokopane – Piet Potgieter
- Stanger (KwaZulu-Natal) was the name of KwaDukuza – William Stanger (Surveyor-General of Natal)
- Verwoerdburg (Gauteng) was the name of Centurion – Hendrik Verwoerd