There is an assassination attempt on Verwoerd at the Rand Easter Show in Johannesburg

Date: 9 Apr 1960
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

There is an assassination attempt on Verwoerd at the Rand Easter Show in Johannesburg

The first assassination attempt was made on the life of Prime Minister H.F. Verwoerd at the Rand Easter Show in Johannesburg. His assailant was a disgruntled White farmer, David Pratt, who fired two shots at the Minister at close range. Despite two bullets in his head, he miraculously escaped death. Verwoerd was murdered in 1966 by Dimitrio Tsafendas, a parliamentary messenger.

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How we know this

01Muller, C.F.J. (ed)(1981). Five Hundred years: a history of South Africa; 3rd rev. ed., Pretoria: Academica, p. 500.
02Wallis, F. (2000). Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau.

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). There is an assassination attempt on Verwoerd at the Rand Easter Show in Johannesburg. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011895

South African History Online (2011) 'There is an assassination attempt on Verwoerd at the Rand Easter Show in Johannesburg', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011895 (Accessed: 23 July 2026).

South African History Online, There is an assassination attempt on Verwoerd at the Rand Easter Show in Johannesburg [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011895, (accessed 23 July 2026).

"There is an assassination attempt on Verwoerd at the Rand Easter Show in Johannesburg." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011895. Accessed 23 July 2026.

South African History Online. "There is an assassination attempt on Verwoerd at the Rand Easter Show in Johannesburg." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011895.