Type M
Direct Answer
Type M is South Africa's large-pin standard -- the 15A variant of the same BS 546 family that produces Type D at 5A. The two share a triangular 3-round-pin layout and standard lineage but use different pin sizes, so they are not physically interchangeable.
Source: BS 546 (15A variant)
Specs
| Pins | 3 round pins in a triangle, larger than Type D's |
| Rated Current | 15 A |
| Rated Voltage | 220-250 V |
| Grounded | Yes |
| Common Regions | South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, also found in India and Nepal for heavy-duty circuits |
The Same Family as Type D, at a Different Rating
Type M is specifically the 15A variant of BS 546 -- the same British standard family that produces the 5A Type D plug used in India and Nepal. They share the same triangular 3-round-pin concept and standards lineage, but Type M's pins are noticeably larger to carry the higher current rating, so a Type M plug will not physically fit a Type D socket or vice versa despite the shared ancestry.
South Africa officially adopted the newer Type N (based on IEC 60906-1) as its future preferred standard in 2013, and since 2018 all new homes there are required to include at least one Type N socket alongside existing Type M wiring -- Type M remains in widespread use but is being gradually phased out over an extended transition.