The head of the state committee for information and media affairs, Irina Gagloeva, told the news agency RIA-Novosti that the president of the self-proclaimed republic, Eduard Kokoity, announced the decision on September 11 during a cabinet meeting.
South Ossetia broke from Georgia in the early 1990s.
Moldova's breakaway republic of Transdniester has scheduled a similar referendum on independence for September 17.
(lenta.ru, RIA-Novosti, Reuters)