polity
South Africa
Union of South Africa through apartheid and democratic South Africa.
Compare group for South Africa as a whole: Union and Republic state institutions, national parties, labour and civic organisations, and other SA-wide actors that are not honest descendants of the earlier lineage families.
In this family
Events
2 September 1882Kimberley introduces electric street lighting28 November 1885Cape railway reaches KimberleyJune 1902Post-war reconstruction begins12 October 1908–11 May 1909National Convention20 September 1909South Africa Act31 May 1910Formation of the Union of South Africa1911Mines and Works Act entrenches the colour bar8 January 1912South African Native National Congress founded19 June 1913Natives Land Act becomes law1914–1918South African participation in the First World War1919Industrial and Commercial Workers' Union founded1922Rand Revolt1924Hertzog's National Party–Labour Pact governmentc. 1930Industrial and Commercial Workers' Union collapses1936Native Trust and Land Act extends land restrictions1939–1945Wartime urbanisation6 September 1939South Africa enters the Second World WarApril 1944ANC Youth League founded8 May 1945Second World War ends12–16 August 1946African Mine Workers' Strike19481948 general election1948–1960Apartheid-era removals1948–1960Systematisation of apartheid legislation1949Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act1950Group Areas Act1950Immorality Amendment Act1950Population Registration Act1951Bantu Authorities Act1952Pass-law system tightened26 June–December 1952Defiance Campaign1953Bantu Education law1953Reservation of Separate Amenities Act1955Sophiatown forced removals begin26 June 1955Freedom Charter adopted1956Women's March against pass laws1959Promotion of Bantu Self-Government Act1960–1976Regionalisation of the conflict1960sSabotage campaigns21 March 1960Sharpeville massacre8 April 1960Banning of liberation organisations31 May 1961South Africa becomes a republic9 October 1963–12 June 1964Rivonia Trial1966District Six declared a white Group Area26 August 1966South African Border / Bush War beginsc. 1968Black Consciousness movement emerges1975–1989Cross-border war and regional operations1976Soweto uprising and aftermath1976Transkei declared 'independent'12 September 1977Death of Steve Biko in detention19 October 1977Black Consciousness organisations banned29 September 1978UN Security Council Resolution 435 on Namibia1983End Conscription Campaign founded1983Tricameral parliament constitution20 August 1983United Democratic Front founded1985COSATU founded1985Rubicon speech and Botha reform impasse21 July 1985–June 1990State of emergency declared1986Abolition of Influx Control Act2 October 1986US Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act1987–1988Battle of Cuito Cuanavale1988Brazzaville Protocol1988Geneva Protocol in the southern African settlement process1989South African Border / Bush War ends1989UN Security Council Resolution 6281990Implementation of Namibian independence1990–1994ANC–IFP political violence1990–1994Negotiated transition1990–1994Right-wing attacks during the transition1990–1994Train, hostel and township violence2 February 1990Unbanning of political organisations11 February 1990Nelson Mandela released from prison1991Apartheid repeal package1991–1992CODESA negotiations begin1993Assassination of Chris Hani1993End Conscription Campaign ends1993Interim Constitution9 December 1993Transitional Executive Council Act1994Formation of the South African National Defence Force1994Restitution of Land Rights Act1994–1999Continued KwaZulu-Natal political violence1994–1999Establishment and early operation of the Constitutional Court1994–1999PAGAD-era bombings27 April 1994First democratic election1995Labour Relations Act1995Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation / TRC Act1996Constitution certified after revision1996Final Constitution adopted1996–1999Truth and Reconciliation Commission processDecember 1996Constitution signed4 February 19971996 Constitution comes into force19991999 national electionc. 2000–2004HIV/AIDS treatment struggle and TAC mobilisation20042004 national election2007–2008Polokwane conference and recall of Mbeki2008Load-shedding crisis begins11–26 May 2008Xenophobic violence2009Jacob Zuma becomes president2010FIFA World Cup hosted in South Africa16 August 2012Marikana massacre2013Death of Nelson Mandela2013Economic Freedom Fighters founded2015–2017Rhodes Must Fall and Fees Must Fallc. 2016–2018State capture crisis intensifies2018Zuma resigns and Ramaphosa becomes president2020–2022COVID-19 pandemic and hard lockdown8–17 July 2021July unrest following Zuma's imprisonment9 November 2023Slangrivier title-deed programme reaches its final handover2024ANC loses majority and Government of National Unity formed2024Load-shedding crisis eases