{"slug": "south-africa", "label": "South Africa", "wikipedia": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa", "wikidata": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q258", "qid": "Q258", "description": "country in southern Africa", "entries": 41, "years": 37, "span": [1075, 2025], "span_label": ["1075 CE", "2025 CE"], "topics": [{"title": "Exploration & Expansion", "count": 7}, {"title": "Culture & Society", "count": 7}, {"title": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "count": 6}, {"title": "Conflict & Security", "count": 6}, {"title": "Science & Discovery", "count": 3}, {"title": "Technology & Infrastructure", "count": 3}, {"title": "Crime & Justice", "count": 3}, {"title": "Health & Medicine", "count": 2}, {"title": "Climate & Environment", "count": 2}, {"title": "Disasters & Accidents", "count": 1}, {"title": "Economy & Finance", "count": 1}], "also_known_as": [], "related": [{"slug": "cape-town", "label": "Cape Town", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "namibia", "label": "Namibia", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "dutch-east-india-company", "label": "Dutch East India Company", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "cape-of-good-hope", "label": "Cape of Good Hope", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "nelson-mandela", "label": "Nelson Mandela", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "india", "label": "India", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "mexico", "label": "Mexico", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "acapulco", "label": "Acapulco", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "israel", "label": "Israel", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "great-britain", "label": "Great Britain", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "islam", "label": "Islam", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "portuguese-india", "label": "Portuguese India", "shared": 1}], "items": [{"year": 1075, "year_label": "1075 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": null, "text": "The Kingdom of Mapungubwe is established, in modern-day South Africa.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1365265849#Africa", "title": "1075", "revid": 1365265849, "section": "Events › By place › Africa"}}, {"year": 1509, "year_label": "1509 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "November 4", "text": "November 4 – Afonso de Albuquerque becomes the Viceroy of Portuguese India, replacing Francisco de Almeida, who departs five days later from Diu. Almeida never makes it home, getting killed along with his 64 men in a battle on March 1 with the local Khoekhoe people at South Africa's Cape of Good Hope.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1369335853#October–December", "title": "1509", "revid": 1369335853, "section": "Events › October–December"}}, {"year": 1652, "year_label": "1652 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": "April 6", "text": "April 6 – Dutch sailor Jan van Riebeeck establishes a resupply camp for the Dutch East India Company at the Cape of Good Hope in modern-day South Africa, thus founding Cape Town.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1367149733#April–June", "title": "1652", "revid": 1367149733, "section": "Events › April–June"}}, {"year": 1694, "year_label": "1694 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": "April 2", "text": "April 2 – Sheikh Yusuf, exiled by the administrators of the Dutch East Indies (modern-day Indonesia), arrives at the Dutch Cape Colony on the ship De Voetboog, at what later becomes Cape Town, South Africa, along with two wives, two concubines and twelve children. Resettled by the colonial government at a farm in Zandvliet, the Sheikh introduces Islam to South Africa.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1353084901#April–June", "title": "1694", "revid": 1353084901, "section": "Events › April–June"}}, {"year": 1704, "year_label": "1704 CE", "section": "Science & Discovery", "date": "June 2", "text": "June 2 – Annular solar eclipse is visible from a region of the Southern Ocean between South Africa and Antarctica.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1358992532#April–June", "title": "1704", "revid": 1358992532, "section": "Events › April–June"}}, {"year": 1722, "year_label": "1722 CE", "section": "Disasters & Accidents", "date": "November 20", "text": "November 20 – The Dutch East India Company cargo ship Schoonenberg runs aground in South Africa's Struis Bay and is looted by most of its 110 crew, beginning a legend and questions of whether the wreck was part of a conspiracy or simply an accident. Almost 300 years later, the event is reconstructed in detail by investigators.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1365128046#October–December", "title": "1722", "revid": 1365128046, "section": "Events › October–December"}}, {"year": 1784, "year_label": "1784 CE", "section": "Health & Medicine", "date": null, "text": "A huge locust swarm hits South Africa.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1370567291#Date_unknown", "title": "1784", "revid": 1370567291, "section": "Events › Date unknown"}}, {"year": 1829, "year_label": "1829 CE", "section": "Culture & Society", "date": null, "text": "South African College founded in Cape Town, South Africa; later to separate into the South African College Schools and the University of Cape Town.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1359857327#Events", "title": "1829 in South Africa", "revid": 1359857327, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1852, "year_label": "1852 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": "February 26", "text": "26 February – the Birkenhead founders off the coast of South Africa. The soldiers stand to attention while women and children are placed in the lifeboats.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1363475327#Events", "title": "1852 in Ireland", "revid": 1363475327, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1857, "year_label": "1857 CE", "section": "Technology & Infrastructure", "date": null, "text": "The Union Steam Ship Company wins the first mail contract for regular mail service between Great Britain and South Africa.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1310479526#Events", "title": "1857 in South Africa", "revid": 1310479526, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1859, "year_label": "1859 CE", "section": "Technology & Infrastructure", "date": "September 8", "text": "8 September – A small 0-4-0 tank steam locomotive is landed in Cape Town, to be used during construction of the first railway in South Africa.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1310479544#Locomotives", "title": "1859 in South Africa", "revid": 1310479544, "section": "Railways › Locomotives"}}, {"year": 1873, "year_label": "1873 CE", "section": "Science & Discovery", "date": "July 5", "text": "July 5 – New Rush in Griqualand West, South Africa, is renamed Kimberley.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1370305657#July", "title": "1873", "revid": 1370305657, "section": "Events › July"}}, {"year": 1884, "year_label": "1884 CE", "section": "Culture & Society", "date": "November 3", "text": "November 3 – Imvo Zabantsundu (Xhosa: The Native People's Opinion of South Africa), South Africa's first newspaper by and for Black people, is founded by John Tengo Jabavu in King William's Town.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1360611208", "title": "1884 in South Africa", "revid": 1360611208, "section": "Events › November"}}, {"year": 1899, "year_label": "1899 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "September 28", "text": "28 September: Prime Minister Richard Seddon asks Parliament to approve the offer to the imperial government of a contingent of mounted rifles and the raising of such a force if the offer were accepted and thus becoming the first British Colony to send troops to the Boer war. The first New Zealand Army contingent leaves for South Africa before the end of the year.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1332934603#Events", "title": "1899 in New Zealand", "revid": 1332934603, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1913, "year_label": "1913 CE", "section": "Crime & Justice", "date": "November 6", "text": "6 November – Mohandas Gandhi is arrested while leading a march of Indian miners in South Africa.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1362099157#Events", "title": "1913 in India", "revid": 1362099157, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1915, "year_label": "1915 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "July 9", "text": "9 July – German forces in German South-West Africa (Deutsch-Südwestafrika) capitulate and the territory is occupied by South Africa.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1368489146#Events", "title": "1915 in Germany", "revid": 1368489146, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1923, "year_label": "1923 CE", "section": "Technology & Infrastructure", "date": "March 1", "text": "March 1 – Eskom, the largest electricity producer in Africa, is established in South Africa.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1367772921#March–April", "title": "1923", "revid": 1367772921, "section": "Events › March–April"}}, {"year": 1926, "year_label": "1926 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": "March 6", "text": "March 6 – The first commercial air route from the United Kingdom to South Africa is established by Alan Cobham.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373503199#March", "title": "1926", "revid": 1373503199, "section": "Events › March"}}, {"year": 1928, "year_label": "1928 CE", "section": "Culture & Society", "date": "June 9", "text": "June 9 – Ellis Park Stadium, a well-known sport venue of South Africa, officially opens in Johannesburg.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1372527586#June", "title": "1928", "revid": 1372527586, "section": "Events › June"}}, {"year": 1955, "year_label": "1955 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "June 26", "text": "June 26 – The Freedom Charter of the anti-apartheid South African Congress Alliance is adopted, at a Congress of the People in Kliptown.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371173508#June", "title": "1955", "revid": 1371173508, "section": "Events › June"}}, {"year": 1964, "year_label": "1964 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": null, "text": "The Welsh national side makes its first overseas tour, to South Africa.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1284089611#Sport", "title": "1964 in Wales", "revid": 1284089611, "section": "Sport"}}, {"year": 1970, "year_label": "1970 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "November 20", "text": "November 20 – The Miss World 1970 beauty pageant, hosted by Bob Hope at the Royal Albert Hall, London is disrupted by Women's Liberation protesters. Earlier on the same evening a bomb is placed under a BBC outside broadcast vehicle by The Angry Brigade, in protest at the entry of separate black and white contestants by South Africa.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1370420699#November", "title": "1970", "revid": 1370420699, "section": "Events › November"}}, {"year": 1978, "year_label": "1978 CE", "section": "Culture & Society", "date": "July 24", "text": "July 24 – In Acapulco, Mexico, Margaret Gardiner of South Africa is crowned Miss Universe.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1370022681#July", "title": "1978", "revid": 1370022681, "section": "Events › July"}}, {"year": 1979, "year_label": "1979 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "September 22", "text": "September 22 – Vela incident: The \"South Atlantic Flash\" is observed near the Prince Edward Islands in the Indian Ocean, thought to be a nuclear weapons test conducted by South Africa and Israel.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371786119#September", "title": "1979", "revid": 1371786119, "section": "Events › September"}}, {"year": 1983, "year_label": "1983 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "August 24", "text": "August 24 – South Africa announces \"all outstanding issues\" preventing independence for South West Africa (present-day Namibia) have been resolved, except for the continuing presence of 23,000 Cuban troops in neighboring Angola.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1366392977#August", "title": "1983", "revid": 1366392977, "section": "Events › August"}}, {"year": 1986, "year_label": "1986 CE", "section": "Health & Medicine", "date": "June 12", "text": "June 12 – South Africa declares a nationwide state of emergency.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373510075#June", "title": "1986", "revid": 1373510075, "section": "Events › June"}}, {"year": 1990, "year_label": "1990 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": "November 1", "text": "1 November – South Africa's anti-apartheid leader, Nelson Mandela began a four-day visit to Malaysia.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373378089#Events", "title": "1990 in Malaysia", "revid": 1373378089, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1991, "year_label": "1991 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "January 29", "text": "January 29 – In South Africa, Nelson Mandela of the African National Congress and Mangosuthu Buthelezi of the Inkatha Freedom Party agree to end violence between the two organizations.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371487470#January", "title": "1991", "revid": 1371487470, "section": "Events › January"}}, {"year": 1991, "year_label": "1991 CE", "section": "Economy & Finance", "date": "April 15", "text": "April 15 – End of Apartheid: The European Economic Community lifts economic sanctions on South Africa.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371487470#April", "title": "1991", "revid": 1371487470, "section": "Events › April"}}, {"year": 1998, "year_label": "1998 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": "March", "text": "Bill Clinton makes the first visit to South Africa by a U.S. president.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373236679#March", "title": "1998", "revid": 1373236679, "section": "Events › March"}}, {"year": 1998, "year_label": "1998 CE", "section": "Crime & Justice", "date": "September 3", "text": "September 3 - South Africa now says it supports the intervention of the Democratic Republic of the Congo by Namibia, Zimbabwe and Angola, supporting Kabila.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1311633659#September", "title": "1998 in Angola", "revid": 1311633659, "section": "Events › September"}}, {"year": 1998, "year_label": "1998 CE", "section": "Crime & Justice", "date": "September 3", "text": "September 3 - South Africa now says it supports the intervention of DRC by Namibia, Zimbabwe and Angola, supporting Kabila.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1311385673#September", "title": "1998 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo", "revid": 1311385673, "section": "Events › September"}}, {"year": 2002, "year_label": "2002 CE", "section": "Climate & Environment", "date": null, "text": "In October, Bangladesh toured South Africa for another bi-lateral series of 3 ODIs and 2 test matches. Bangladesh could not win any of these matches either.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1369230929#Sports", "title": "2002 in Bangladesh", "revid": 1369230929, "section": "Events › Sports"}}, {"year": 2010, "year_label": "2010 CE", "section": "Culture & Society", "date": "June 11", "text": "June 11–July 11 – The 2010 FIFA World Cup was held in South Africa and was won by Spain.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1372829682#June", "title": "2010", "revid": 1372829682, "section": "Events › June"}}, {"year": 2010, "year_label": "2010 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "December 5", "text": "December 5 - Former South African President Thabo Mbeki begins mediation efforts in Ivory Coast following the disputed presidential election.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1370234286#December", "title": "2010 in Ivory Coast", "revid": 1370234286, "section": "Events › December"}}, {"year": 2014, "year_label": "2014 CE", "section": "Climate & Environment", "date": "January 31", "text": "January 31 - Hundreds of endangered species from Madagascar are found in a South African airport.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1251952954#January", "title": "2014 in Madagascar", "revid": 1251952954, "section": "Events › January"}}, {"year": 2015, "year_label": "2015 CE", "section": "Science & Discovery", "date": "September 10", "text": "September 10 – Scientists announce the discovery of Homo naledi, a previously unknown species of early human in South Africa.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373300271#September", "title": "2015", "revid": 1373300271, "section": "Events › September"}}, {"year": 2022, "year_label": "2022 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "November 2", "text": "November 2–November 3 – Tigray War: The Ethiopian government and the TPLF agree to a formal cessation of hostilities, signing a peace agreement in Pretoria, South Africa.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371998228#November", "title": "2022", "revid": 1371998228, "section": "Events › November"}}, {"year": 2023, "year_label": "2023 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "December 29", "text": "December 29 – A genocide case against Israel is brought towards the International Court of Justice by South Africa for Israel's invasion and subsequent bombardment of the Gaza Strip, and its role in the subsequent humanitarian crisis.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1372811827#December", "title": "2023", "revid": 1372811827, "section": "Events › December"}}, {"year": 2024, "year_label": "2024 CE", "section": "Culture & Society", "date": "June 29", "text": "29 June – The ICC Men's T20 World Cup Final is held at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, where India defeats South Africa by seven runs to win the tournament.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1310594960#June", "title": "2024 in Barbados", "revid": 1310594960, "section": "Events › June"}}, {"year": 2025, "year_label": "2025 CE", "section": "Culture & Society", "date": "November 22", "text": "November 22–23 – The G20 Johannesburg summit is held in South Africa, the first time a G20 summit has been held in Africa.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1372865033#November", "title": "2025", "revid": 1372865033, "section": "Events › November"}}]}