In June 1966, during the darkest years of Apartheid, United States (US) Senator Robert Kennedy made a historic visit to South Africa. He was invited by the National Union of South African Students (NUSAS), an anti-Apartheid student movement, to deliver its Annual Day of Affirmation Speech, which was to be at the University of Cape Town. Kennedy was accompanied by his wife, Ethel, and a small number of close aides.
4 June 1966
Senator Robert Kennedy visits SA

- Updated
- 2 Jun 2020

How we know this
- 01Lulat,Y.G-M. etal,(1991) U.S. Relations with South Africa: An Annotated Bibliography: Volume One Books, Documents, Reports and Monographs, (Westview Press) pp.122-125
- 02RFK Center, ROBERT F. KENNEDY,[online] Available at www.rfkcenter.org [Accessed: 3 June 2013]
Last updated · 2 Jun 2020
South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Senator Robert Kennedy visits SA. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012064
South African History Online (2011) 'Senator Robert Kennedy visits SA', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012064 (Accessed: 8 October 2026).
South African History Online, Senator Robert Kennedy visits SA [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012064, (accessed 8 October 2026).
"Senator Robert Kennedy visits SA." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012064. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.
South African History Online. "Senator Robert Kennedy visits SA." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012064.
Also on 4 June
- 1961Iraq boycott SA government’s apartheid policies
- 1969Ex Defence Minister P.W. Botha denies arms purchase
- 1978Benjamin Tyamzashe dies in East London
- 1979President John Vorster resigns
- 1980The South African security police bombed two houses in Manzini, Swaziland
- 1986Soweto Town council asks SADF troops to stay
- 1986Police found burnt body near KTC squatter camp, Cape Town
- 1986Two ANC members gunned down in Swaziland.
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