1673 in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1673 in South Africa.

← 1672 1671 1670 1673 in South Africa → 1674 1675 1676
Decades:
See also:	List of years in South Africa

Incumbents

• Governor of the Cape Colony: Isbrand Goske

Events

• 13 Dutch explorers find fertile grazing land suitable for wheat production north-east of the Hottentots-Holland Mountains, home to the Chainoqua, Hessequa, Cochoqua, and Gouriqua Khoi-Khoi chiefdoms.
• A Dutch hunting party of nine men with two wagons ventured into the mountains for large game. They were ambushed and captured by the Cochoqua, detained for several days, and subsequently killed at a location known as Moordkuil.
• The Khoikhoi have large livestock herds and begin to trade with the Dutch, but unfair Dutch terms lead to conflict and livestock raiding.
• The VOC sends Hieronimus Cruse to attack the Cochoqua on horseback, which starts the Second Dutch-Khoikhoi War. The Dutch end up seizing a number of livestock accounting to 1800.
• The Dutch capture an English slaver with 184 Malagasy slaves, uncovering the Boina Bay slave trade.
• The VOC begins to establish a regular slave-trade route from the Cape to Boina Bay.
• De Post Huys is built, the oldest existing house in South Africa.