The first Armenians settled in South Africa in the late 1890s after the Hamidian massacres. According to locals, the site where the Leeu River Dam called Armenia constructed in 1954 was owned by an Armenian. 

The Armenian Society of South Africa was established in 1970, it organized a Sunday school (teaching Armenian language, history, and singing) national dance and other groups.

About 350 Armenians currently reside in South Africa, mainly in Johannesburg. The Armenian Apostolic Church operates in Swatina (formerly Swaziland). Until recent years, the AGBU was also operating in South Africa.

The Armenian community actively participated in the Festival of Nationalities of South Africa held in Johannesburg in the early 1990s. In 1992 the Armenian the showcase was recognized as the best.

A Holocaust and Genocide Center operates in Johannesburg, where events dedicated to the memory of genocide victims are occasionally organized.

In recent years, a new organization "Armenian Youth in South Africa" ​​was established.