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EventPolitical Organisations are unbanned in Transkei
The Transkei leader, Gen. Bantu Holomisa, announced the unbanning of the African National Congress (ANC), the Pan African Congress (PAC), the South African…
EventThe Harms Commission officially restricts investigations into South African security force
The terms of reference of the Harms Commission, which was to inquire into alleged murders and unlawful acts of the security forces, were laid out in a…
EventNelson Mandela condemns the Lockerbie bombing, the first mass killing of Americans by terrorists
Nelson Mandela issued a statement condemning the Lockerbie bombing and loss of life that occurred as a result. The bombing killed all 243 passengers, 16 crew…
EventGeneral Lothar Neethling sues Vrye Weekblad and the Weekly Mail
On 20 January 1990 General Lothar Neethling sued the Vrye Weekblad and the Weekly Mail for R1, 5 million. The lawsuit was sparked by newspaper reports in…
EventPolice break up demonstrations against South African rebel Cricket Tour
Police in Johannesburg used force to break up demonstrations against a "rebel tour" of South Africa by the English Cricket team. Angry anti apartheid…
EventPaedophile Gert van Rooyen and mistress commit suicide
Padeophile Gert van Rooyen and his mistress, Joey Haarhoff, commit suicide in Pretoria while being pursued by the police. Paedophile Gert van Rooyen and his…
Event7 People are killed during a SATS strike
Seven people were killed and about sixty-seven injured when about 800 striking South African Transport Services (SATS) workers, on their way to a union meeting…
EventTwo rival movements merge in Zimbabwe
Two rival political organisations in Zimbabwe, the Ndebele-dominated Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), led by Joshua Nkomo, and the Shona-dominated…
EventNelson Mandela meets F.W. de Klerk
Prisoner Nelson Mandela had the first of three meetings with the State President F.W. de Klerk to discuss the future of SA. The meeting took place in De Klerk…
EventPresident F. W. de Klerk announced the opening of four hitherto Whites-only residential areas to mixed settlement
President F. W. de Klerk announced the opening of four hitherto Whites-only residential areas to mixed settlement. They included two districts in Johannesburg,…
Independent Board of Inquiry issues report
EventLast remaining SA troops have been withdrawn from Namibia
The Citizen reported that the remaining 1 500 South African troops in South West Africa (Namibia) had been withdrawn during November. While the Namibian…
EventSA beaches are opened to all racial groups
President F.W de Klerk announced that South African beaches would be opened to all people across the racial lines. The decision to open the beaches was made…
Three White members of the African National Congress (ANC) are sentenced to long prison terms
Mandela meets PAC leader Jeff Masemola
EventNamibians vote for a Constituent Assembly
Location: back to this day in history search archive Voters went to the polls (7-11 November) to vote for a Constituent Assembly in the first all-race and…
EventWalter Sisulu, Raymond Mhlaba and Ahmed Kathrada address the public after 26 years
After the release of Walter Sisulu, Raymond Mhlaba of the African National Congress (ANC) and Ahmed Kathrada of the Transvaal Indian Congress (TIC) on 15…
EventTranskei announces plans to unban ANC and PAC
During the celebration day of independence not recognised by the international community, the President of the Transkei homeland, Tutor Ndamase, announced that…
EventElephant poaching reaches an all time high
While African elephants have been hunted for several centuries, the exploitation of elephant herds on a massive scale began in the 1970s. Organized gangs of…
EventFive ANC leaders are released from prison
On 15 October 1989, five of the eight African National Congress (ANC) long term political prisoners were released from Robben Island. Among those leaders who…
EventF.W. de Klerk announces the release of political prisoners
Shortly after taking over from P.W. Botha as state president, F.W. de Klerk announced the unconditional release of eight long serving political prisoners of…
EventEfforts by a pro-sanctions lobbyist group against SA debt rescheduling prove unsuccessful
Efforts by a pro-sanctions lobbyist group in Southern Africa to persuade banks in the United States (US) not to allow debt rescheduling against South Africa…
EventUS opposes new sanctions against SA, believing they will be counterproductive to the transformation and negotiation process
In his address to the senate foreign relations committee, United States (US) Assistant Secretary of State, Herman Cohen, said that the US strongly opposed any…
President F.W. de Klerk denies talks between the ANC leaders and an Afrikaner delegation
EventAs part of a defiance campaign against the apartheid Government, SA is hit by a nationwide wave of protests
On 6 September 1989, the majority of South Africans witnessed the election of a national government in which it had no say; this was to be the last all-white…
EventF.W. De Klerk is inaugurated
After the September general election, F.W. De Klerk was inaugurated as the new State President at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. De Klerk had been Acting…
EventAdvocate Anton Lubowski secretary-general of the SWAPO is assassinated
Advocate Anton Lubowski (37), secretary-general of the South West African People's Organisation (Swapo), was shot dead at close range with an AK47 rifle…