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EventAbout 22 000 miners on Witwatersrand gold mines go on strike in what became known as the Rand Rebellion
In January 1922 some 22 000 white miners downed their tools and went on strike in what became known as the Rand Rebellion or the Red Revolt. Eventually martial…
Coal Miners Strike on the Rand
On this day Transvaal coal miners embarked on a strike because of a wage cut of 5 percent per shift. On 10 January 1922 White mine workers on the Rand gold…
EventThe Rand Revolt breaks out
The end of World War I was followed by a global depression that affected South Africa as well. Soon after the war, in 1918 and 1919, Black workers across…
EventNewspaper editor John Tengo Jabavu dies
John Tengo Jabavu, the founder of the first Black-language newspaper, Imvo Zabantsundu (Native/Bantu Opinion) and political leader dies in Cape Town. He was…
EventSeretse Khama is born
Sir Seretse Khama was born on 1 July 1921 in Serowe in the British Protectorate of Bechuanaland, now known as Botswana. He studied in South Africa and…
EventThe South African Reserve Bank is established
The South African Reserve Bank was established in terms of the Currency and Banking Act, 1920 (Act No. 31 of 1920) in Parliament.This came into being after a…
EventThe first Comrades Marathon takes place
The first Comrades Marathon was run by Vic Clapham, ex World War One veteran and other 34 runners, who initiated it as a reunion. Clapham wanted to remember…
EventSouth Africa mandated to govern South
The League of Nations, the world body formed after World War 1 in 1919, afforded South Africa a mandate to govern South-West Africa (now Namibia). The mandate…
EventThe General Assembly of the League of Nations meets in Geneva for the first time
On 15 November 1920, the General Assembly of the League of the Nationsmet in Geneva, Switzerland for the first time. The League was an international body…
EventCellist and music teacher Betty Pack is born
Cellist and music teacher Betty Pack, who started several youth orchestras, was born in Nylstroom, Transvaal. At the age of 16, she gave her first public…
EventMgqwetho,the first poem of Nontisi is published
Mgqwetho, the first poem of Nontisi (Cizama, Imbongikazi yakwaCizama) was published in Umteteli under her clan name, Cizama. She is the sole significant…
EventSamuel Marks (77) dies in Johannesburg
Sammy Marks was a diamond buyer of Kimberley, founder of the African and European Investment Company and Senator in the Parliament of the Union of South Africa…
EventFirst air flight from London to South Africa
By the 1920s, the development of heavier than air flight had progressed considerably, partly due to the outbreak of World War One. Britain, having emerged…
EventThe South African Air Force is established
On 1 February 1920, the South African Air Force was established. This made it the first air force of the Commonwealth, with Lt-Col. Pierre van Ryneveld…
EventThe League of Nations is established
The League of Nations, an international organisation founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919-1920, convened and met for the first time in…
EventDr Joosub Ebrahim is born
Dr Joosub Hajee Suliman Ebrahim, recipient of the Order for Meritorious Service Class 1: Gold from the state president in 1992, for his contribution as…
EventSouth Africa observes Armistice Day
Armistice Day is observed annually in South Africa to commemorate the sacrifice of veterans and civilians in World War I. The day is observed world-wide,…
EventThe Dutch Reformed Church decides that Afrikaans may be used alongside Dutch during services
The Afrikaans language has its origins in Dutch. It developed amongst Dutch-speaking settlers and slaves in South Africa in the 17th century, and has many…
EventSouth African Aerial Transports services are inaugurated
Air services were inaugurated in South Africa with the amalgamation of a London-based company, the South African Aerial Navigation Company and the SA-based…
EventGerman South West Africa is put under South African administration
After the completion of World War One's Treaty of Versailles, German South West Africa was declared a mandate of the new international peace-keeping body, the…
EventSmuts becomes Prime Minister
General Jan Christian Smuts started his first term as prime minister of the Union of South Africa after the death of General Louis Botha on 27 August 1919…
EventGeneral Louis Botha dies
General Louis Botha, soldier, statesman and first prime minister of the Union of South Africa, died in Pretoria after a heart attack. The heart failure was…
EventLeague of Nations is formed
The League of Nations was established after World War I, during the Treaty of Versailles. The intention of this organization was to reduce armament and to…
EventSA Artist, Father Frans Claerhout, is born
Father Frans Claerhout, acclaimed artist, priest and humanitarian was born on this day in Pittem, western Belgium. After completing his studies, he immigrated…
EventBantu Women’s League protests against pass laws
The Bantu Women's League (BWL) under its first president Charlotte Maxeke, undertook a passive resistance on 7 January 1919 against the application of pass…
EventIndustrial and Commercial Workers Union is founded under Clements Kadalie
The Industrial and Commercial Union later renamed the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) was founded by Clements Kadalie, a young Nyassalander who…
EventPrime Minister of Transkei George Matanzima is born
George Mzimvube Matanzima, younger brother of Kaiser Matanzima and prime minister of the Transkei in 1979 and 1987, was born in Qamata, Transkei. The…
EventSpanish Flu strikes South Africa
The first cases of an unusually severe and deadly strain of influenza, popularly called Spanish Flu or 'Great Flu', were diagnosed on this date in Durban. This…
EventThe Afrikaner Broederbond is formed
On 5 June 1918 disaffected Afrikaners were brought together in a new organisation called Jong Suid-Afrika (Young South Africa). In 1919 the organisation…
EventAfrikaans linguist H J Terblanche is born
Dr Hendrik Josephus Terblanche, compiler of several dictionaries and grammar books, is born in Aberdeen in the Eastern Cape. Dr Terblanche was a pioneer of…