| Type: | F1 |
| Country: | South Africa |
| Flag Suffix: | 1928 |
| Grand Prix: | South African |
| Official Name: | XXV Simba Grand Prix of South Africa |
| Date: | 3 March |
| Year: | 1979 |
| Race No: | 3 |
| Season No: | 15 |
| Course: | Permanent racing facility |
| Course Mi: | 2.550 |
| Course Km: | 4.104 |
| Distance Laps: | 78 |
| Distance Mi: | 198.908 |
| Distance Km: | 320.112 |
| Weather: | Wet |
| Pole Driver: | Jean-Pierre Jabouille |
| Pole Country: | France |
| Pole Team: | Renault |
| Pole Time: | 1:11.80 |
| Fast Driver: | Gilles Villeneuve |
| Fast Country: | Canada |
| Fast Team: | Ferrari |
| Fast Time: | 1:14.412 |
| Fast Lap: | 23 |
| First Driver: | Gilles Villeneuve |
| First Country: | Canada |
| First Team: | Ferrari |
| Second Driver: | Jody Scheckter |
| Second Country: | South Africa |
| Second Flag Suffix: | 1928 |
| Second Team: | Ferrari |
| Third Driver: | Jean-Pierre Jarier |
| Third Country: | France |
| Third Team: | Tyrrell-Ford |
The 1979 South African Grand Prix (formally the XXV Simba Grand Prix of South Africa) was a Formula One motor race held on 3 March 1979 at Kyalami. The race, contested over 78 laps, was the third race of the 1979 Formula One season and was won by Gilles Villeneuve, driving a Ferrari. Teammate and local driver Jody Scheckter finished second, while Jean-Pierre Jarier finished third in a Tyrrell-Ford.
| Pos | Driver | Points | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Jacques Laffite | 18 | ||
| 2 |  Carlos Reutemann | 12 | ||
| 3 |  Gilles Villeneuve | 11 | ||
| 4 | Patrick Depailler | 9 | ||
| 5 |  Jody Scheckter | 7 | ||
| Source: [1] | ||||
| Pos | Constructor | Points | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ligier-Ford | 27 | ||
| 2 |  Ferrari | 18 | ||
| 3 | Lotus-Ford | 17 | ||
| 4 | Tyrrell-Ford | 7 | ||
| 5 | McLaren-Ford | 4 | ||
| Source: | ||||
Nelson Piquet
