Athletics South Africa (ASA) announced that South Africa's former Olympic 800m silver medallist Hezekiel Sepeng was banned on 11 May 2005 from all competition for two years, following a drug test on 21 February of that year. According to ASA the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) has ruled that there were no exceptional circumstances in Sepeng's case and that he has to be suspended in accordance with the rules.

On 21 January 2006, approximately ten thousand residents of Pretoria attended Tshwane Metro's 5th anniversary celebrations. Held in Church Square in Pretoria's city centre, the celebrations began with marches through the streets. Later, several prominent Afro music groups and performers entertained residents in the square. The incident was marred by some unruly behaviour from the crowd, and people criticised the celebrations saying they were not justified, as the municipality was failing to deliver services.

South African President Thabo Mbeki hails Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for making history by becoming Africa's first elected woman president in post-war elections. Mbeki said Sirleaf's election signalled a "new dawn for African women". Sirleaf, a 67-year old Harvard-educated technocrat, defeated football legend George Weah who secured only 40,6% of the votes. Though international observers declared the elections free and fair, minor irregularities were reported.

Obote, a member of the legislative council of Uganda from 1957, founded the Uganda People's Congress in 1960. Obote became Uganda's Prime Minister after independence was gained from the British in 1962 and by 1966 he had installed himself as president. He was overthrown by Idi Amin in 1971 and fled to Tanzania. He returned with the Tanzanian-aided invasion of 1979 and was re-elected in 1980 amid accusations of fraud. Factionalism led to an army coup in 1985 in which he was ousted a second time and exiled to Zambia. Obote's rule was marred by repression and the torture of political opponents.

The Sunday newspaper Sunday Independent reported that the special mixture prescribed by SA Health Minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang to fight HIV/AIDS, could be a recipe for disaster. The African potato, with a mixture of garlic, onions and virgin olive oil, was advocated by the minister as an immune-boosting combination for people living with HIV and Aids.

The South African squad of Roland Schoeman, Lyndon Ferns, Darian Townsend and Ryk Neethling clocked 3 minutes and 13.17 seconds to triumph over the Netherlands (2nd) and the US team (3rd). The triumph was South Africa's fourth gold medal since re-admission to the Olympics in Barcelona 1992, adding to the two won by swimmer Penny Heyns in Atlanta and the marathon gold by Josia Thugwane at the same Olympics.

It was announced that at least one-fifth of South Africa's military was infected with the HIV virus that causes AIDS.

Six men accused of killing Mozambican investigative journalist Carlos Cardoso, were convicted and sentenced to lengthy prison terms. One of the suspects, Anibal dos Santos Junior, popularly known as Anibalzinho, who escaped from pre-trial detention, was tracked down in South Africa and extradited to Mozambique. Anibalzinho, who led the death squad, was tried in absentia while he was still on the run and received a twenty-eight years prison sentence. His co-accused were each sentenced to at least twenty-three years in jail.

The Africa Women's Peace Train was launched in Kampala, Uganda, on 15 August in a ceremony in which a Peace Torch was received. It was destined to run through Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Botswana and finally to South Africa - Johannesburg, in time for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) on 25 August 2002. The train, leaving Kampala on 16 August, was made up of women from across Africa who wanted to raise awareness around the impact of civil wars, corruption and genocide, which was taking place in countries across the continent.

The Protected Disclosures Act, no 26 of 2000, providing protection of employees against occupational detriment as a result of having disclosed irregular conduct in their workplace, came into action on this date.