1988 in South Africa
Encyclopedia
January
- 1 January - Nordic countriesNordic countriesThe Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
implement comprehensive sanctionsInternational sanctionsInternational sanctions are actions taken by countries against others for political reasons, either unilaterally or multilaterally.There are several types of sanctions....
against South Africa and South West AfricaSouth West AfricaSouth-West Africa was the name that was used for the modern day Republic of Namibia during the earlier eras when the territory was controlled by the German Empire and later by South Africa....
which are intended to counteract apartheid - 10 January - 6 African National CongressAfrican National CongressThe African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
guerrillas are injured in a car bombCar bombA car bomb, or truck bomb also known as a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device , is an improvised explosive device placed in a car or other vehicle and then detonated. It is commonly used as a weapon of assassination, terrorism, or guerrilla warfare, to kill the occupants of the vehicle,...
explosion in BulawayoBulawayoBulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland...
, ZimbabweZimbabweZimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three... - 25 January - guerrillasGuerrilla warfareGuerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
wound a policeman when they open fire at a policePoliceThe police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
roadblock set up at Ugie- A Limpet mineLimpet mineA limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets; they are so named because of their superficial similarity to the limpet, a type of mollusk....
explodes at the KokstadKokstadKokstad may refer to:*Kokstad, Norway*Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa...
Men's Club opposite the police station
- A Limpet mine
- 27 January - guerrillas open fire on a police vehicle in SowetoSowetoSoweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
and injure three policemen and a civilian
February
- 12 people are injured in a bomb blast at Wits Medical Command administration building in BraamfonteinBraamfonteinBraamfontein is a central suburb of Johannesburg, in South Africa. It is well located, straddling Jan Smuts Avenue and Empire Road. The Nelson Mandela bridge is a landmark that connects Braamfontein to the city...
, JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa... - 1 February - Three guerrillasGuerrilla warfareGuerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
are killed and one injured at a policePoliceThe police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
roadblockRoadblockA roadblock is a temporary installation set up to control or block traffic along a road. The reasons for one could be:*Roadworks*Temporary road closure during special events*Police chase*Robbery*Sobriety checkpoint...
in TranskeiTranskeiThe Transkei , officially the Republic of Transkei , was a Bantustan—an area set aside for members of a specific ethnicity—and nominal parliamentary democracy in the southeastern region of South Africa... - 2 February - A guerrilla is killed in a skirmish with police near Mount Fletcher
- 3 February - The Congress of South African Trade UnionsCongress of South African Trade UnionsThe Congress of South African Trade Unions is a trade union federation in South Africa. It was founded in 1985 and is the biggest of the country’s three main trade union federations, with 21 affiliated trade unions, altogether organising 1.8 million workers.-Establishment:COSATU was established in...
offices in PietermaritzburgPietermaritzburgPietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
come unter attack by a mob armed with pangaMacheteThe machete is a large cleaver-like cutting tool. The blade is typically long and usually under thick. In the English language, an equivalent term is matchet, though it is less commonly known...
s and AssegaiAssegaiAn assegai or assagai is a pole weapon used for throwing or hurling, usually a light spear or javelin made of wood and pointed with iron.-Iklwa:...
s. - 6 February - A policeman is killed in attack at East London
- 10 February - Rocky Malebane-MetsingRocky Malebane-MetsingRocky Malebane-Metsing was a member of the African National Congress in the 1990s. In 1988, a coup ousted Lucas Mangope, president of Bophuthatswana, and installed Malebane-Metsing, who at the time was leader of the Progressive People's Party, as president. Fifteen hours later, the South African...
leads a group of dissatisfied members of the Bophuthatswana Defence Force and the National Executive Committee of the People's Progressive Party to stage a coup d'étatCoup d'étatA coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
in the BantustanBantustanA bantustan was a territory set aside for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa , as part of the policy of apartheid...
of BophuthatswanaBophuthatswanaBophuthatswana , officially the Republic of Bophuthatswana was a Bantustan – an area set aside for members of a specific ethnicity – and nominal parliamentary democracy in the northwestern region of South Africa... - 12 February - Two municipal policemen, guarding an installation, are injured when they are attacked by guerrillas
- - A guerrilla opens fire on car driven by ex-RhodesiaRhodesiaRhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
n soldier, now private security firm official, in Johannesburg
- - A guerrilla opens fire on car driven by ex-Rhodesia
- 14 February - The South African Defence ForceSouth African Defence ForceThe South African Defence Force was the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994. The former Union Defence Force was renamed to the South African Defence Force in the Defence Act of 1957...
launch Operation Hooper
March
- An electrical sub-station in Fort Jackson is damaged when three limpet mineLimpet mineA limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets; they are so named because of their superficial similarity to the limpet, a type of mollusk....
s explode - 1 March - An explosion in BenoniBenoni, GautengBenoni is a city with 654,509 inhabitants on the East Rand in the South African province of Gauteng. Since 2000, it has been part of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.- History :...
causes extensive damage to bus transporting South African Air ForceSouth African Air ForceThe South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
personnel - 7 March - A guerrilla and a civilian is killed by police during a raid in QueenstownQueenstown, Eastern CapeQueenstown, named after Queen Victoria, is a town in the middle of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, roughly half way in between the towns of Cathcart and Sterkstroom. It is currently the commercial, administrative, and educational centre of the prosperous surrounding farming district...
, six policemen are wounded in the raid - 8 March - An attack by guerrillas on Phiri Hall police mess kills one policemen and wounds 10 others
- 12 March - A church-led opposition group headed by Desmond TutuDesmond TutuDesmond Mpilo Tutu is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid...
is banned - 14 March - A bomb explodes at JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
City Hall with no injuries - 17 March - Mohammed Ichbahl and Aboobaker Ismail set up two bombs at the Krugersdorp magistrate’s court adjacent to the local police station, the first to serve as a decoy and the second, a car bombCar bombA car bomb, or truck bomb also known as a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device , is an improvised explosive device placed in a car or other vehicle and then detonated. It is commonly used as a weapon of assassination, terrorism, or guerrilla warfare, to kill the occupants of the vehicle,...
, directed at security force personnel but, "unfortunately the decoy failed to explode, due to some malfunction". The car bomb explodes killing two South African Defence ForceSouth African Defence ForceThe South African Defence Force was the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994. The former Union Defence Force was renamed to the South African Defence Force in the Defence Act of 1957...
personnel and a civilian. Twenty other people were injured. South African police accused Hein Grosskopf of the attack, and acknowledged later that he had not been responsible. - 18 March - Guerrillas attack a tavern in AtteridgevilleAtteridgevilleAtteridgeville, part of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, is a township located on the west of Pretoria, South Africa. It is bordered to the west by Saulsville, to the east by Proclamation Hill; to the south by Laudium and to the north by Lotus Gardens.-History:Atteridgeville was...
frequented by policemen; three policemen are killed in the attack - 25 March - Three guerrillas are killed at Batavia in the far northern TransvaalTransvaal ProvinceTransvaal Province was a province of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961, and of its successor, the Republic of South Africa, from 1961 until the end of apartheid in 1994 when a new constitution subdivided it.-History:...
, by the South African ArmySouth African ArmyThe South African Army is the army of South Africa, first formed after the Union of South Africa was created in 1910.The South African military evolved within the tradition of frontier warfare fought by commando forces, reinforced by the Afrikaners' historical distrust of large standing armies... - 27 March - The Antheas Club in PolokwanePolokwanePolokwane, meaning "Place of Safety",is a city in the Polokwane Local Municipality and the capital of the Limpopo province, South Africa. It is also often referred to by its former name, Pietersburg. Polokwane is a major urban centre, the biggest and most important north of Gauteng. The population...
(previously known as Pietersburg) is slightly damaged by a limpet mine which exploded in the back garden - 28 March - Four guerrillas are killed and one injured by the South African Army on an island on Mutale river
April
- A bombBombA bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
explodes at JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
City Hall with no injuries - 4 April – The South African Special Forces BrigadeSouth African Special Forces BrigadeThe South African Special Forces Brigade is the only Special Forces unit of the South African National Defence Force ....
raid an African National CongressAfrican National CongressThe African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
terrorist hideout in GaboroneGaborone' is the capital and largest city of Botswana with a population of 191,776 based on a 2006 survey, about 10% of the total population of Botswana....
, BotswanaBotswanaBotswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
killing four ANC guerrillas - 7 April – A car bombCar bombA car bomb, or truck bomb also known as a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device , is an improvised explosive device placed in a car or other vehicle and then detonated. It is commonly used as a weapon of assassination, terrorism, or guerrilla warfare, to kill the occupants of the vehicle,...
explodes in MaputoMaputoMaputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
, MozambiqueMozambiqueMozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
injuring Albie SachsAlbie SachsAlbie Sachs was a judge on the Constitutional Court of South Africa. He was appointed to the court by Nelson Mandela in 1994 and retired in October 2009...
, an anti-apartheid lawyer - 9 April – A limpet mineLimpet mineA limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets; they are so named because of their superficial similarity to the limpet, a type of mollusk....
explodes near the AtteridgevilleAtteridgevilleAtteridgeville, part of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, is a township located on the west of Pretoria, South Africa. It is bordered to the west by Saulsville, to the east by Proclamation Hill; to the south by Laudium and to the north by Lotus Gardens.-History:Atteridgeville was...
Development Board's canteen - 12 April – In a MpumalangaMpumalangaMpumalanga , is a province of South Africa. The name means east or literally "the place where the sun rises" in Swazi, Xhosa, Ndebele and Zulu. Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, north of KwaZulu-Natal and bordering Swaziland and Mozambique. It constitutes 6.5% of South Africa's land area...
township, police corner a guerrilla who then kills himself and two policemen with a grenade. Police later kill a second guerrilla, a policeman is killed and three civilians wounded in the crossfire - 15 April – A limpet mine explodes at the Atteridgeville Municipal offices
- A bomb explodes prematurely outside PretoriaPretoriaPretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
's Sterland cinema killing the carrier and injuring a bystander. According to an African National CongressAfrican National CongressThe African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
guerrillas, the intended target was a nearby government building
- A bomb explodes prematurely outside Pretoria
- 19 April – An explosion at a private office block less than 100 m from Parliament damages a branch of Santam bank
- 22 April – A guerrilla ambushes a municipal police vehicle and wounds four policemen and one civilian in Soweto
- 25 April – A policeman, Sgt JM Mazibuku, is killed at bus stop in Newcastle by guerrillas
May
- 1 May - A special guard unit vehicle is attacked in Cape TownCape TownCape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
with no injuries - 3–6 May - An ILO tripartite Conference on Action Against Apartheid is held in HarareHarareHarare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
, ZimbabweZimbabweZimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
- 4 May - A limpet mineLimpet mineA limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets; they are so named because of their superficial similarity to the limpet, a type of mollusk....
explodes against wall of the KagisoKagisoKagiso is a township situated in the Krugersdorp area in Gauteng Province, South Africa. It was established in 1920 by ex-miners and squatters from nearby Luipaardsvlei. By 1950 the number of squatters had grown, spawning the larger Luipaardsvlei and Lewisham township, southeast of Krugersdorp.The...
Police single quarters- Representatives of South Africa, United States of America, AngolaAngolaAngola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
and CubaCubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
meet in London to search for a solution to the Angolan war and independence for NamibiaNamibiaNamibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
- Representatives of South Africa, United States of America, Angola
- 4 May - A limpet mine
- 10 May - A child is killed when a grenadeGrenadeA grenade is a small explosive device that is projected a safe distance away by its user. Soldiers called grenadiers specialize in the use of grenades. The term hand grenade refers any grenade designed to be hand thrown. Grenade Launchers are firearms designed to fire explosive projectile grenades...
is thrown at a policeman's home in Mamelodi by guerrillas - 14 May - A guerrilla is killed when police raids his home in Newcastle
- 24 May - At the GermistonGermiston, GautengGermiston is a city in the East Rand of Gauteng in South Africa. Germiston is now the seat of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality which includes much of the East Rand, and is also considered part of Greater Johannesburg.-History:...
railway station, a guerrilla opens fire policemen and is killed when the police returned fire; three civilians were injured in crossfire - 25 May - Two people are killed and 38 injured when a Sofasonke Party rally in SowetoSowetoSoweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
comes under a grenade attack. The African National CongressAfrican National CongressThe African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
denies knowledge and blames "armed political renegades" - 26 May - A limpet mine detonates during lunch hour outside African Eagle Building in PretoriaPretoriaPretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, injuring four people from the Ruth Arndt Early Learning Centre - 28 May - An explosive device explodes at the bottom of platform staircase at the JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
railway station and injures 1 person
June
- A bombBombA bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
explodes near SowetoSowetoSoweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
's Inhlanzani station with no injuries - A mini-limpet mineLimpet mineA limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets; they are so named because of their superficial similarity to the limpet, a type of mollusk....
explodes at a PretoriaPretoriaPretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
snack bar injuring 18 people - 3 June - An explosion occurs at the South African Irish Regiment HQ in Anderson Street, JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
- A bomb explodes during lunch hour outside Standard Bank in Roodepoort, killing four and injuring eighteen civilians. According to an African National CongressAfrican National CongressThe African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
guerrilla the target had not been civilians but a police station nearby and refuses to give details on what operational difficulties caused this incident.
- A bomb explodes during lunch hour outside Standard Bank in Roodepoort, killing four and injuring eighteen civilians. According to an African National Congress
- 5 June - A bomb is detonated while a train was standing at Saulsville railway station
- 20 June - A CiskeiCiskeiCiskei was a Bantustan in the south east of South Africa. It covered an area of 2,970 square miles , almost entirely surrounded by what was then the Cape Province, and possessed a small coastline along the shore of the Indian Ocean....
policeman, W/O Swelindawo is injured in explosion at his home in Mdanstane - 22 June - Ten people are killed when a limpet mine explodes at an amusement arcade in Winning Side Arcade in Johannesburg
- 26 June - A limpet mine is discovered and defused at Papagallo Restaurant in East London
- 27 June - Cuban MiG 23Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is considered to belong to the Soviet third generation jet fighter category, along with similarly aged Soviet fighters such as the MiG-25 "Foxbat"...
jet fighters attack the CaluequeCaluequeCalueque is a village next to a dam and pumping station on the Cunene River in the Cunene Province of southern Angola. The project is linked to Ruacana, 20 km away inside Namibia, where an underground hydro-electric power station was built. A 300 km pipeline and canal extends across the...
Water Scheme - twelve South African soldiers die after a direct hit by bomb. - 29 June - A bomb kills two South African Defence ForceSouth African Defence ForceThe South African Defence Force was the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994. The former Union Defence Force was renamed to the South African Defence Force in the Defence Act of 1957...
, two Prisons personnel and 13 civilians when it explodes at a cafe in Poynton building
July
- Bulelani NgcukaBulelani NgcukaBulelani T Ngcuka was the first national Director of Public Prosecutions in South Africa, and is the husband of former Deputy President of South Africa Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. He was embroiled in controversy after being accused of being an apartheid spy...
is detained for organising the Nelson MandelaNelson MandelaNelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
birthday - An explosion outside home of member of Presidents Council, Dr Ismail Jajbhay in Lenasia occurs with no injuries
- 2 July - A car bombCar bombA car bomb, or truck bomb also known as a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device , is an improvised explosive device placed in a car or other vehicle and then detonated. It is commonly used as a weapon of assassination, terrorism, or guerrilla warfare, to kill the occupants of the vehicle,...
, set by Harold Matshididi and Billy Agie Shoke, explodes near the gate of Ellis ParkEllis Park StadiumEllis Park Stadium, also known because of its sponsorship by The Coca-Cola Company as Coca-Cola Park, is a rugby union and association football stadium in the city of Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa. It hosted the final of the 1995 Rugby World Cup, which was won by the country's...
stadium in JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
and two people are killed and thirty-seven injured - 5 July - A guerrilla is killed by police in a raid in Gugulethu
- 7 July - Trevor ManuelTrevor ManuelTrevor Andrew Manuel is a South African politician, currently serving in the Cabinet of South Africa as Minister in the Presidency in charge of the National Planning Commission...
, Ebrahim RasoolEbrahim RasoolEbrahim Rasool was the Premier of the Western Cape province in South Africa. He is a member of the African National Congress.Anti-Apartheid Struggle Activist:...
, Mountrain Qumbela, Hilda Ndude and Mzonke Jacobsis are released from detention - 12 July - LandmineLand mineA land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
incident - no details - 14 July - The South African ArmySouth African ArmyThe South African Army is the army of South Africa, first formed after the Union of South Africa was created in 1910.The South African military evolved within the tradition of frontier warfare fought by commando forces, reinforced by the Afrikaners' historical distrust of large standing armies...
tracks and kills four guerrillas in the Kruger National ParkKruger National ParkKruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers and extends from north to south and from east to west.To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is...
following the 12 July landmine incident- Violence erupts between the Inkatha Freedom PartyInkatha Freedom PartyThe Inkatha Freedom Party is a political party in South Africa. Since its founding, it has been led by Mangosuthu Buthelezi. It is currently the fourth largest party in the National Assembly of South Africa.-History:...
and the African National CongressAfrican National CongressThe African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
in RichmondRichmond, KwaZulu-NatalRichmond is a town situated on the banks of the upper Illovo River in the midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, approximately 38 km south-west of Pietermaritzburg. Timber, sugarcane, poultry, citrus fruit and dairy goods are produced here...
- Violence erupts between the Inkatha Freedom Party
- 16 July - A guerrilla opens fire at a police vehicle in Nyanga killing a bystander. Police return fire and the cadre is wounded
- 17 July - A guerrilla opens fire on a police vehicle from back of pickup while travelling on the highway near SowetoSowetoSoweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
. Two policemen are injured - 20 July - A major battle between the South African Defence ForceSouth African Defence ForceThe South African Defence Force was the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994. The former Union Defence Force was renamed to the South African Defence Force in the Defence Act of 1957...
and CubaCubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n forces start near Calueque, AngolaAngolaAngola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city... - 22 July - A grenadeGrenadeA grenade is a small explosive device that is projected a safe distance away by its user. Soldiers called grenadiers specialize in the use of grenades. The term hand grenade refers any grenade designed to be hand thrown. Grenade Launchers are firearms designed to fire explosive projectile grenades...
is thrown at the home of BE Qakisa, the Soweto Council personnel manager - 23 July - A guerrilla is wounded by police in Pinetown, KwaZulu-NatalPinetown, KwaZulu-NatalPinetown is a small city just inland from Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Pinetown is situated 16 km west of Durban at an elevation of 1,000 to 1,300 feet . It was established in 1850 around the Wayside Hotel, itself built the year before along the main wagon route between Durban and...
- 26 July - Three grenade attacks on homes of Administration Board employees ( P. Legare, Naledi and Gumede) in Soweto
- 29 July - One person is injured when a limpet mine explodes at a Bus stop on the corner of Victoria and Odendaal Streets in GermistonGermiston, GautengGermiston is a city in the East Rand of Gauteng in South Africa. Germiston is now the seat of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality which includes much of the East Rand, and is also considered part of Greater Johannesburg.-History:...
- 30 July - One person is killed and 57 injured when a limpet mineLimpet mineA limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets; they are so named because of their superficial similarity to the limpet, a type of mollusk....
planted by ANC guerrillas explode at lunch time at WimpyWimpy (brand)Wimpy is the brand name of a chain of fast-food hamburger restaurants based in the United Kingdom.-History:The Wimpy brand was created in the 1930s. The name was inspired by the character of J. Wellington Wimpy from the Popeye cartoons created by E. C. Segar...
(restaurant) in BenoniBenoni, GautengBenoni is a city with 654,509 inhabitants on the East Rand in the South African province of Gauteng. Since 2000, it has been part of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.- History :...
August
- A mini-limpet mineLimpet mineA limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets; they are so named because of their superficial similarity to the limpet, a type of mollusk....
explodes at the WestvilleWestville, KwaZulu-NatalWestville is an area near Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, which is situated 20 km inland from the Durban city centre. Formerly an independent municipality governed by a Town Council, it now forms part of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, which also includes Durban...
Post Office near DurbanDurbanDurban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism... - 3 August - A car bombCar bombA car bomb, or truck bomb also known as a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device , is an improvised explosive device placed in a car or other vehicle and then detonated. It is commonly used as a weapon of assassination, terrorism, or guerrilla warfare, to kill the occupants of the vehicle,...
explodes outside the Wits Command, JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
with no injuries- Five guerrillas are killed in two incidents in the Bridgewater area
- 4 August - A guerrilla is killed and one escapes in a police raid near the Wild Coast Sun hotel in TranskeiTranskeiThe Transkei , officially the Republic of Transkei , was a Bantustan—an area set aside for members of a specific ethnicity—and nominal parliamentary democracy in the southeastern region of South Africa...
- 5 August - A limpet mine is discovered and safely detonated at the Morula Sun Casino
- 13 August - An explosion at the Hyde Park Shopping Centre, Johannesburg injures three people
- 19 August - A mini-limpet mine explodes within the Castle grounds in Cape TownCape TownCape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
- 20 August - A grenadeGrenadeA grenade is a small explosive device that is projected a safe distance away by its user. Soldiers called grenadiers specialize in the use of grenades. The term hand grenade refers any grenade designed to be hand thrown. Grenade Launchers are firearms designed to fire explosive projectile grenades...
is thrown at the home of mayor, Eddie Makeba in Duncan Village - 23 August - An explosion at lunch hour injures 23 people at the WimpyWimpy (brand)Wimpy is the brand name of a chain of fast-food hamburger restaurants based in the United Kingdom.-History:The Wimpy brand was created in the 1930s. The name was inspired by the character of J. Wellington Wimpy from the Popeye cartoons created by E. C. Segar...
(restaurant) on Oxford Street, East London - 24 August - A limpet mine is discovered outside the WimpyWimpy (brand)Wimpy is the brand name of a chain of fast-food hamburger restaurants based in the United Kingdom.-History:The Wimpy brand was created in the 1930s. The name was inspired by the character of J. Wellington Wimpy from the Popeye cartoons created by E. C. Segar...
in StandertonStandertonStanderton is a large commercial and agricultural town lying on the banks of the Vaal River in Mpumalanga, South Africa which specialises in cattle, dairy, maize and poultry farming. The town was established in 1876 and named after Boer leader Commadant AH Stander. During the Second Boer War a...
and safely detonated
September
- Trevor ManuelTrevor ManuelTrevor Andrew Manuel is a South African politician, currently serving in the Cabinet of South Africa as Minister in the Presidency in charge of the National Planning Commission...
is detained for the third time and this time he is released only in 19891989 in South Africa-January:* A Eskom sub-station in Glenwood, Durban is damaged by explosion, later police defuse a second bomb found nearby* Explosion at the home of the chair of the Ministers Council in the House of Delegates in Benoni* An explosion at aircraft factory in Ciskei... - A bombBombA bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
goes off at the Laudium home of a PretoriaPretoriaPretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
municipal election candidate - Three limpet mineLimpet mineA limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets; they are so named because of their superficial similarity to the limpet, a type of mollusk....
s in Lenasia explode at the offices of the Lenasia bus service, at the home of the Lenasia Management Committee and the offices of the House of Delegates - A bomb explodes at the King Williamstown Magistrates Court
- A mini-limpet mineLimpet mineA limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets; they are so named because of their superficial similarity to the limpet, a type of mollusk....
explodes at the Woodstock Police Station - A child is injured when the home of a municipal policeman attacked in SowetoSowetoSoweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
- A bomb explodes at a discoDiscoDisco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
theque in Hillbrow injuring 19 people - A limpet mine explosion at Vinderbijl Square bus terminus in JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
injures 19 people - A hand grenadeGrenadeA grenade is a small explosive device that is projected a safe distance away by its user. Soldiers called grenadiers specialize in the use of grenades. The term hand grenade refers any grenade designed to be hand thrown. Grenade Launchers are firearms designed to fire explosive projectile grenades...
is thrown from a moving car at home of Allan HendrickseAllan HendrickseHelenard Joe Hendrickse was a South African politician, Congregationalist minister, and teacher. He participated in an act of defiance by swimming at a South African beach reserved for whites only. He was born in Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape and died of a heart attack at Port Elizabeth's airport...
, leader of the Labour Party - A bomb under a car in parking lot of an East London hotel explodes after area cleared
- 2 September - Limpet mines are discovered and defused at the StandertonStandertonStanderton is a large commercial and agricultural town lying on the banks of the Vaal River in Mpumalanga, South Africa which specialises in cattle, dairy, maize and poultry farming. The town was established in 1876 and named after Boer leader Commadant AH Stander. During the Second Boer War a...
post office- Two people are injured when a limpet mine explodes at 17h30 outside a shop on the corner of Smith and Fenton Streets in DurbanDurbanDurban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
- Two people are injured when a limpet mine explodes at 17h30 outside a shop on the corner of Smith and Fenton Streets in Durban
- 3 September - A guerrilla is killed and four policemen are injured in Molweni, Durban
- 7 September - An explosion in the basement of North Park Plaza Shopping Centre kills one person
- 8 September - A grenade is thrown into the home of couple who did not join a strike (Mr and Mrs Modiko) and injures a child
- 10 September - An explosion at the Moroka Police Station barracks
- A mini-limpet placed under basin next to back door of a Lenasia HOD candidate, Mrs Ebrahim; explodes
- 19 September - A car bombCar bombA car bomb, or truck bomb also known as a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device , is an improvised explosive device placed in a car or other vehicle and then detonated. It is commonly used as a weapon of assassination, terrorism, or guerrilla warfare, to kill the occupants of the vehicle,...
explodes outside flats in BenoniBenoni, GautengBenoni is a city with 654,509 inhabitants on the East Rand in the South African province of Gauteng. Since 2000, it has been part of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.- History :...
, 100 m from the Police station; two civilians are injured - 21 September - An explosion after 17h00 injures 14 people at the Vanderbijlpark bus terminal
- 22 September - An explosion at the home of a municipal election candidate SD Goolam injures four policemen, two guards and a civilian
October
- A bombBombA bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
explodes at the Redhill Post Office in DurbanDurbanDurban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
with no injuries - A bomb damages the campaign HQ of a Wentworth municipal candidate in Durban
- Municipal councillor and assistant escape injury when hand grenadeGrenadeA grenade is a small explosive device that is projected a safe distance away by its user. Soldiers called grenadiers specialize in the use of grenades. The term hand grenade refers any grenade designed to be hand thrown. Grenade Launchers are firearms designed to fire explosive projectile grenades...
s are thrown at them in ThokozaThokozaThokoza is a township south of Johannesburg, South Africa at the location of the now defunct Palmietfontein Airport. It is situated south east of Alberton, adjacent to Katlehong on the East Rand, Gauteng, South Africa. It was established in 1973 and together with Katlehong it forms the second... - An explosion at KwaThema civic centre which is used as polling point in municipal elections kills a baby killed and injures four people
- Explosions occur at three magistrates courts, Wynberg (JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
), Bishop Lavis, and Stellenbosch with no injuries reported at all three - A bomb causes damage to Woodstock Police Station
- Four policemen are injured when a limpet mineLimpet mineA limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets; they are so named because of their superficial similarity to the limpet, a type of mollusk....
explodes at TembisaTembisaTembisa is a large township situated to the north of Kempton Park on the East Rand, Gauteng, South Africa. It was established in 1957 when Africans were resettled from Alexandra and other areas in Edenvale, Kempton Park, Midrand and Germiston.-Etymology:...
police barracks - A limpet mine which explodes near the Alexandra Municipal Police offices in Johannesburg causes extensive damage
- The homes of municipal candidates in Wattville and Thokoza are attacked with hand grenades
- A mini-limpet mine explodes at the Katlehong Municipal Police barracks
- A bomb explodes in a building housing the Police Security Branch in Potchefstroom
- A limpet mine explodes at a Sandton sub-station belonging to EskomEskomEskom is a South African electricity public utility, established in 1923 as the Electricity Supply Commission by the government of South Africa in terms of the Electricity Act . It was also known by its Afrikaans name Elektrisiteitsvoorsieningskommissie . The two acronyms were combined in 1986 and...
- A mini-limpet mine damages offices in Diepmeadow
- A limpet mine explodes at central Johannesburg bus terminus injuring four people
- A car bombCar bombA car bomb, or truck bomb also known as a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device , is an improvised explosive device placed in a car or other vehicle and then detonated. It is commonly used as a weapon of assassination, terrorism, or guerrilla warfare, to kill the occupants of the vehicle,...
explosion outside a WitbankWitbankWitbank , also known as eMalahleni is a city situated on the Highveld of Mpumalanga, South Africa, within the eMalahleni Local Municipality. The name Witbank is Afrikaans for White Ridge and is named after a white sandstone outcrop where wagon transport drivers rested...
shopping centre kills two people and injures 42
November
- 15 November - "Wit Wolf" Barend StrydomBarend StrydomBarend Hendrik Strydom, also known as the Wit Wolf , is a convicted spree killer who was sentenced to death for shooting dead seven black people in Strijdom Square in Pretoria, South Africa on November 15, 1988...
kills eight black passers by in Strijdom Square in Pretoria - A limpet mineLimpet mineA limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets; they are so named because of their superficial similarity to the limpet, a type of mollusk....
explodes at the Port Elizabeth Post OfficePost officeA post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies... - An explosion at Lenasia civic centre; no injuries
- An explosion damages section of railway line on outskirts of DurbanDurbanDurban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
December
- A limpet mineLimpet mineA limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets; they are so named because of their superficial similarity to the limpet, a type of mollusk....
explodes at the Receiver of Revenue offices in Boksburg - A limpet mine explodes at the Department of Home Affairs offices in Brakpan
- BombBombA bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
s explode at the magistrates court in PaarlPaarlPaarl is a town with 191,013 inhabitants in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Its the third oldest European settlement in the Republic of South Africa and the largest town in the Cape Winelands. Due to the growth of the Mbekweni township, it is now a de facto urban unit with Wellington... - Two explosions in Bisho result in damage to garage and shop
- (About the 12 December) - Pik BothaPik BothaRoelof Frederik "Pik" Botha is a former South African politician who served as the country's foreign minister in the last years of the apartheid era...
, Foreign Minister, and Magnus MalanMagnus MalanGeneral Magnus André De Merindol Malan was the Minister of Defence , Chief of the South African Defence Force and Chief of the South African Army.-Early life:...
, Defence Minister, sign a peace protocol with Denis Sassou-Nguesso, President of the Republic of the CongoRepublic of the CongoThe Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
, and with AngolaAngolaAngola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
n and CubaCubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n signatories in BrazzavilleBrazzaville-Transport:The city is home to Maya-Maya Airport and a railway station on the Congo-Ocean Railway. It is also an important river port, with ferries sailing to Kinshasa and to Bangui via Impfondo...
. The protocol ends South Africa's 73 year old administration of South West AfricaSouth West AfricaSouth-West Africa was the name that was used for the modern day Republic of Namibia during the earlier eras when the territory was controlled by the German Empire and later by South Africa.... - 22 December South Africa, AngolaAngolaAngola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
and CubaCubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
sign a tripartite agreement at UN headquarters in New York requiring the withdrawal of Cuban forces from Angola and the granting of independence to NamibiaNamibiaNamibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
by South Africa.
Unknown date
- The Progressive Federal PartyProgressive Federal PartyThe Progressive Federal Party was a South African political party formed in 1977. It advocated power-sharing in South Africa through a federal constitution, in place of apartheid...
merged with the newly founded National Democratic Movement and the Independent Party into the Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (South Africa)The Democratic Party was the name of the South African political party now called the Democratic Alliance . Although the Democratic Party name dates from 1989, the party existed under other labels throughout the Apartheid years, when it was the Parliamentary opposition to the ruling National... - Bulelani NgcukaBulelani NgcukaBulelani T Ngcuka was the first national Director of Public Prosecutions in South Africa, and is the husband of former Deputy President of South Africa Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. He was embroiled in controversy after being accused of being an apartheid spy...
is elected onto the panel of the Independent Mediation Service of South Africa - PJ PowersPJ PowersPenelope Jane Dunlop also known as PJ Powers or Thandeka has enjoyed a highly successful musical career in South Africa spanning more than 15 years. P.J. Powers has recorded 15 albums and is well known for her UK chart hit "World In Union" in 1995.-Early life and career:Penelope was born in...
is banned from radio and TV for a year - Rhodes UniversityRhodes UniversityRhodes University is a public research university located in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, established in 1904. It is the province’s oldest university, and is one of the four universities in the province...
, GrahamstownGrahamstownGrahamstown is a city in the Eastern Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa and is the seat of the Makana municipality. The population of greater Grahamstown, as of 2003, was 124,758. The population of the surrounding areas, including the actual city was 41,799 of which 77.4% were black,...
establishes South Africa's first e-mail link to the Internet
Athletics
- 30 April – Willie Mtolo wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:10:18 in Cape TownCape TownCape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
.
Deaths
- Queen Nolitha of Ixhiba, the 4th wife of Xolilizwe Mzikayise SigcawuXolilizwe Mzikayise SigcawuXolilizwe Mzikayise Sigcawu Xolilizwe Mzikayise Sigcawu Xolilizwe Mzikayise Sigcawu (26 June 1926 - 31 December 2005 was the 11th paramount chief of the Gcaleka sub-group of the Xhosa nation from 10 April 1965 to 31 December 2005. Xolilizwe was an active member of the House of Traditional Leaders...
dies - 8 January - Jacob Molokwane, an activist, is shot dead in his car in FrancistownFrancistownFrancistown or Nyangabgwe is the second largest city in Botswana, with a population of about 85,363, and often described as the "Capital of the North". It is located in eastern Botswana, about north-northeast from the capital, Gaborone...
, BotswanaBotswanaBotswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966... - 17 January - Percy QobozaPercy QobozaPercy Peter Tshidiso Qoboza was an influential black South African journalist, author, and outspoken critic of the apartheid government in South Africa during the early periods of world recognition of the problems evident in the racially divided land...
, journalist, author and critic of the apartheid government, dies on his 50th birthday after a short illness - 29 January - Linda Brakvis, a United Democratic FrontUnited Democratic Front (South Africa)The United Democratic Front was one of the most important anti-apartheid organisations of the 1980s. The non-racial coalition of about 400 civic, church, students', workers' and other organisations was formed in 1983, initially to fight the just-introduced idea of the Tricameral Parliament The...
member, is found stabbed 3 days after her release from detention - 29 March - Dulcie SeptemberDulcie SeptemberSeptember, Dulcie Evonne was born on August 20th, 1935 in Gleemore , Western Cape, South Africa. She died after being assassinated in Paris, France on March 29, 1988...
, is assassinated in Paris - 12 April - Alan PatonAlan PatonAlan Stewart Paton was a South African author and anti-apartheid activist.-Family:Paton was born in Pietermaritzburg, Natal Province , the son of a minor civil servant. After attending Maritzburg College, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Natal in his hometown, followed...
dies in his home near DurbanDurbanDurban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, KwaZulu-NatalKwaZulu-NatalKwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....