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EventNamibia gains Independence
Namibia or South West Africa, as it was called while it was a German territory was placed under the South African administration by the League of Nations after…
EventMandela and Tambo meet in Sweden
While on a mission to foreign countries to ask them to break political ties and tighten sanctions against South Africa in order to speed political change,…
EventNelson Mandela continues his international tour
The African National Congress (ANC) deputy president, Nelson Mandela, proceeded with his international tour to Sweden. His tour had hitherto included African…
EventANC denies responsibilities for the unrest in homelands
On this day in 1990, the African National Congress (ANC) veteran leader, Walter Sisulu, denied allegations levelled at his party by the South African…
EventViolence erupts in Bophuthatswana Townships and Kathlehong
Violence erupted when 50 000 (or 100 000 according to police) residents from GaRankuwa, Mabopane, Soshanguve and areas in the Odi district presented a petition…
EventSouth Africa sends troops to Ciskei
On 4 March 1990 Brigadier Oupa Gqozo of the Ciskei Defence Force (CDF), and a former member of the South African Defence Force (SADF), leads a coup in the…
EventHundreds of political prisoners began a hunger strike at Robben Island
The release of Nelson Mandela on 11 February 1990 was a catalyst that sped up the change in the political dispensation in South Africa. On 4 March 1990 343…
EventMandela visits Zambia
Nelson Mandela started a seventeen-day foreign visit on 27 February, his first since 1962. Subsequent to his release from prison on 11 February 1990, after 27…
EventMandela addresses ANC rally in Durban
In an effort to promote peace in Natal, the African National Congress (ANC) leader Nelson Mandela made a trip to Durban to speak to ANC supporters. In a peace…
EventNelson Mandela was issued with his first passport after being released from prison
Nelson Mandela was issued with his first South African passport on 19 February 1990, 8 days after he was released from prison. It was this passport (with his…
EventFifty killed over three days during Inkatha
Fifty people were killed over three days in battles between Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and United Democratic Front (UDF) supporters in Natal, South Africa,…
EventMike Gatting’s rebel cricket tour is curtailed
Negotiations between the National Sports Council (NSC) and the white South African Cricket Union (SACU) on the rebel cricket tour by Mike Gatting's England…
EventNelson Mandela is free
On this day, Nelson Mandela was released unconditionally from prison after 27 years. Accompanied by his then-wife Winnie, he left the Victor Verster prison …
EventF.W. de Klerk announces Nelson Mandela will be freed on 11 February
The announcement by President F. W. de Klerk in parliament on 10 February 1990, that Nelson Mandela would be released from prison, unconditionally the next day…
EventNamibia’s constitution is ratified
The acceptance of the Namibian constitution on 9 February 1990 established the Republic of Namibia. The independence of Namibia can be directly traced to an…
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…