The aim of this study was to assess trauma events experienced and PTSD among 250 consecutive rural primary clinic patients (all Black Africans, 24% male and 76% female; M age 31.1 yr., SD Euro Surveillance (Bulletin Europeen Sur Les Maladies Transmissibles; European Communicable Disease Bulletin) 11.8; range 18-65 years) in South Africa using the Trauma History Questionnaire and the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version, interview administered. Results indicated that the mean number of traumatic events reported was 3.5 (SD Euro Surveillance (Bulletin Europeen Sur Les Maladies Transmissibles; European Communicable Disease Bulletin) 2.9, range Euro Surveillance (Bulletin Europeen Sur Les Maladies Transmissibles; European Communicable Disease Bulletin) 0-19) and was significantly higher among men (MEuro Surveillance (Bulletin Europeen Sur Les Maladies Transmissibles; European Communicable Disease Bulletin) 4.9, SD Euro Surveillance (Bulletin Europeen Sur Les Maladies Transmissibles; European Communicable Disease Bulletin) 3.5) than women (M Euro Surveillance (Bulletin Europeen Sur Les Maladies Transmissibles; European Communicable Disease Bulletin) 3.0, SD Euro Surveillance (Bulletin Europeen Sur Les Maladies Transmissibles; European Communicable Disease Bulletin) 2.6). Among the most frequently endorsed traumas among men were seeing someone seriously injured or killed (60%), serious accident (43.3%), and seeing dead bodies (43.3%), and among women natural disaster (mostly floods) (51.6%), news of a serious injury, life-threatening illness or unexpected death of someone close (31.1%), and seeing someone seriously injured or killed (30%). A current diagnosis of PTSD was found in 12.4% of the sample. Trauma incidence figures were high (M Euro Surveillance (Bulletin Europeen Sur Les Maladies Transmissibles; European Communicable Disease Bulletin) 3.5) and were comparable with an urban Xhosa primary care population in South Africa (M Euro Surveillance (Bulletin Europeen Sur Les Maladies Transmissibles; European Communicable Disease Bulletin) 3.8). A current indicative diagnosis of PTSD of 12.4% also compares with other studies; 19.9% among urban Xhosa primary care patients and 11.8% among American primary care patients.