History List
Apartheid Begins
1948
Apartheid laws introduced; segregation starts. National Party takes power, enforcing racial separation.
Group Areas Act
1949
Black and White communities forced to live separately by designated residential zones.
Communist Party Banned
1950
South African Communist Party banned; protests led by Nelson Mandela and others.
Bantu Education Act
1953
Schools segregated by race, creating unequal education systems.
Sharpeville Massacre
1960
Police shoot peaceful protesters; 69 killed and 187 wounded, causing global outrage.
Mandela Forms Umkhonto we Sizwe
1963
Nelson Mandela forms military wing to resist government. South Africa expelled from Olympics and sanctioned.
Rivonia Trial
1964
Mandela sentenced to life imprisonment.
Prime Minister Assassinated
1966
Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd assassinated.
Bantu Homeland Citizenship Act
1970
Over 3 million Black South Africans forced into 'homelands'.
South Africa Expelled from UN
1974
South Africa expelled from the United Nations due to apartheid policies.
Soweto Uprising
1976
Protests erupt over unequal education; 600+ killed in clashes between students and police.
Steve Biko's Death
1977
Anti-apartheid leader Steve Biko killed in police custody.
New Prime Minister P.W. Botha
1978
P.W. Botha becomes Prime Minister, continuing apartheid regime.
State of Emergency
1983
Government imposes harsh crackdowns. Church Street Bombing kills 19, injures 220.
F.W. de Klerk Becomes President
1989
F.W. de Klerk takes power; resistance to apartheid grows.
Nelson Mandela Released
1990
Mandela freed after 27 years in prison. Apartheid laws start being repealed.
Negotiations Begin
1991
Apartheid system begins to unravel as talks start.
Referendum to End Apartheid
1992
White citizens vote to end apartheid permanently.
New Government Preparations
1993
Preparations for the first democratic elections.
Apartheid Ends
1994
Apartheid officially ends; transition to democracy begins.
First Democratic Elections
1994
First elections open to all races; Nelson Mandela becomes President. New national flag adopted.
Rugby World Cup Victory
1995
South Africa wins Rugby World Cup, uniting the nation.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission
1996
Commission established to heal the nation from past injustices.
New Constitution & Anthem
1997
Progressive new constitution and national anthem with five languages adopted.
Second Democratic Election
1999
Thabo Mbeki elected President.
New National Motto
2000
South Africa adopts new motto meaning 'Diverse People Unite'.
Hector Pieterson Museum Opens
2002
Museum dedicated to the 1976 Soweto Uprising opens.
Mark Shuttleworth in Space
2002
First South African astronaut goes to space.
Cricket World Cup
2003
South Africa hosts the Cricket World Cup.
First Black African Summits Everest
2003
Sibusiso Vilane becomes first Black African to summit Mount Everest.
Thabo Mbeki Re-Elected
2004
Thabo Mbeki wins a second presidential term.
Charlize Theron Oscar Win
2004
Charlize Theron wins Oscar for 'Monster'.
Same-Sex Marriage Legalized
2006
South Africa legalizes same-sex marriage.
Rejoins United Nations
2007
South Africa rejoins the UN.
Kgalema Motlanthe Becomes President
2008
Kgalema Motlanthe serves as interim president.
Jacob Zuma Elected President
2009
Jacob Zuma wins national elections.
FIFA World Cup
2010
South Africa hosts the FIFA World Cup, first time in Africa.
Joins BRICS
2012
South Africa joins BRICS economic alliance.
Nelson Mandela Passes Away
2013
Death of Nelson Mandela.
Jacob Zuma Re-Elected
2014
Jacob Zuma wins re-election as President.