1993 in South Africa
Encyclopedia
March
- 24 March - The President FW de KlerkFrederik Willem de KlerkFrederik Willem de Klerk , often known as F. W. de Klerk, is the former seventh and last State President of apartheid-era South Africa, serving from September 1989 to May 1994...
informs Parliament that South Africa constructed six nuclear fissionNuclear fissionIn nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry, nuclear fission is a nuclear reaction in which the nucleus of an atom splits into smaller parts , often producing free neutrons and photons , and releasing a tremendous amount of energy...
devices. He adds that these had been dismantled by the end of 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...
April
- 8 April - South Africa and India sign a memorandum of understandingMemorandum of understandingA memorandum of understanding is a document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. It is often used in cases where parties either do not imply a legal commitment or in...
on bilateral air services - 10 April - Chris Hani, the General Secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP) and member of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the African National Congress (ANC) is assassinated by Polish immigrant, Janusz Waluz
May
- An Indian diplomatic Cultural Centre is opened 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...
- 1 May - The Azanian People's Liberation ArmyAzanian People's Liberation ArmyThe Azanian People's Liberation Army was the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress in South Africa. It was originally called Poqo.-History:...
, the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress, attack civilians at the Highgate Hotel in East London, killing five people - 4 May - Nordic development ministers, at their annual meeting in Sweden, decide to continue supporting to 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...
- 5 May - 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...
addresses a joint sitting of two houses of the United Kingdom Parliament- Azanian People's Liberation Army members kill four police officers at Dobsonville, 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...
- Azanian People's Liberation Army members kill four police officers at Dobsonville, Soweto
June
- 4 June - 11 people are killed in clashes between 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...
and 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:...
members in Estcourt- South Africa signs the Convention on Biological DiversityConvention on Biological DiversityThe Convention on Biological Diversity , known informally as the Biodiversity Convention, is an international legally binding treaty...
- South Africa signs the Convention on Biological Diversity
July
- 25 July - Azanian People's Liberation ArmyAzanian People's Liberation ArmyThe Azanian People's Liberation Army was the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress in South Africa. It was originally called Poqo.-History:...
, the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress, open fire on a congregation in St James Church in Kenilworth, Cape TownKenilworth, Cape Town- Geography :Kenilworth is bordered by Wynberg to the south and Claremont to the north. Kenilworth railway station is on the main line from Cape Town to Simon's Town...
, killing eleven people and injuring fifty others
August
- 23 August - The Motsuenyane Commission finds 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...
guilty of abuse in some camps in exile thereby confirming the findings of the Skweyiya Commission
September
- 23 September - The United States SenateUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
approves legislation lifting economic sanctions against South Africa
October
Mthatha Massacre - five school children are killed when the South African Defense Force opens fire on the house of a member of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) of AzaniaNovember
- A South African diplomatic mission is opened in New Delhi, India
- 18 November - 21 political parties approved a new constitutionConstitutionA constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
for the nation - 22 November - India re-establishes full diplomatic relations with South Africa
December
- The Indian Cultural Centre 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...
is upgraded to a Consulate-General - 30 December - Six Azanian People's Liberation ArmyAzanian People's Liberation ArmyThe Azanian People's Liberation Army was the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress in South Africa. It was originally called Poqo.-History:...
, the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress, members open fire on patrons of the Heidelberg Tavern in Observatory, Cape TownObservatory, Cape TownObservatory is a suburb in Cape Town, South Africa, bordered by Mowbray to the south, and Salt River to the north. The area is best known as student neighborhood, most of whom attend the University of Cape Town located close by, and for being the home of the South African Astronomical Observatory...
, killing four people (Jose Cerqueira, Lindy-Anne Fourie, Bernadette Langford, and Rolande Palm) and injuring several others
Unknown date
- President FW de KlerkFrederik Willem de KlerkFrederik Willem de Klerk , often known as F. W. de Klerk, is the former seventh and last State President of apartheid-era South Africa, serving from September 1989 to May 1994...
and 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...
are jointly awarded the Nobel Peace PrizeNobel Peace PrizeThe Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who... - Trade sanctions which were imposed in 19861986 in South Africa-January:* A Soweto man throws a grenade at 3 policemen, police retaliate and kill the man* 4 January - Two people are killed and two others injured when their vehicle hit an anti-tank land mine at Stockpoort in the Ellisras area not far from the Botswana border...
are lifted
Athletics
- 20 March – Josia ThugwaneJosia ThugwaneJosia Thugwane is a South African athlete, best known for winning the gold medal in the marathon race at the 1996 Summer Olympics...
wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:14:25 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
- 20 March - Gerard SekotoGerard SekotoGerard Sekoto , was a South African artist and musician. He is recognized as the pioneer of urban black art, social realism, and more recently as the father of South African art and of his 8 daughters and 3 sons...
, artist, who went into exile in 1947, dies in Paris, France at the age of 80 - 24 April - Oliver TamboOliver TamboOliver Reginald Tambo was a South African anti-apartheid politician and a central figure in the African National Congress .-Biography:Oliver Tambo was born in Bizana in eastern Pondoland in what is now Eastern Cape...
dies from a stroke