The following lists events that happened during 1838 in South Africa.

• 4 February - The AmaZulu King, Dingane signs a deed of cession to cede land to the voortrekkers led by Piet Retief

• 11 April - Battle of Italeni where the AmaZulu repulsed the Voortrekkers close to uMgungundlovu.
• 11 April - Voortrekker leaders Piet Uys and his son Dirkie Uys die in battle at the hands of the Zulus.

• 4 December - Britain occupies Port Natal, denying the Republic of Natalia access to trade routes.
• 16 December - The Battle of Blood River, Voortrekkers under Andries Pretorius defeat the AmaZulu.
• 22 December - Potchefstroom is founded as the Transvaal Republic's capital by Andries Hendrik Potgieter.

• A municipality is formed covering the Green Point-Sea Point areas in Cape Town
• The Voortrekkers establish Natalia Republic with Pietermaritzburg as capital
• Voortrekkers draft a Constitution enforcing White supremacy and a racial master-servant order.
• The Volksraad of 24 elected men is established with legislative, judiciary, and executive powers.
• Voortrekkers defeat the AmaZulu at the Battle of Blood River, killing 3,000 troops.
• Cape slavery ends as the 1834 "apprenticeship" system is abolished.

• 6 February - Voortrekker leader Piet Retief and his men are murdered by the Zulus under the command of Dingaan
• 25 October - Voortrekker leader Louis Tregardt (55), died of malaria in Delagoa bay

See Years in South Africa for list of References