SANS 164

South African National Standard 164: Plugs and socket outlets for household and similar purposes for use in South Africa is the South African Bureau of Standards' standard for domestic AC power plugs and sockets.

[1] However, while the UK changed over to the rectangular-pin BS 1363 plug after World War II, South Africa has retained the older round-pin BS 546 style.

[3] Consequently, through much of the rest of the 20th century, both the smaller BS 546 5 ampere plug and socket,[4] and the larger BS 546 15 ampere plug and socket,[4] remained commonly in use in South Africa until the SANS 164-1 and SANS 164-2 standards were strictly defined in 1992.

South Africa has adopted the IEC 60906-1 plug and socket as SANS 164-2 in 1992.

[5] Although the sockets are compatible with the Europlugs, which are already in common use as SANS 164-5, and Brazil has adopted a modified form of the same IEC 60906-1 standard, South Africa is the first country to adopt the IEC 60906-1 standard directly and implement it.