1920 in South Africa
Encyclopedia
Events
- 10 January - The League of Nations is established as the Treaty of VersaillesTreaty of VersaillesThe Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
goes into effect - 1 February - The South African Air ForceSouth African Air ForceThe South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
is established - 20 November - Prince Arthur of ConnaughtPrince Arthur of ConnaughtPrince Arthur of Connaught and Strathearn was a member of the British Royal Family, a grandson of Queen Victoria. Prince Arthur held the title of a British prince with the style His Royal Highness...
is appointed the 3rd Governor-General of the Union of South AfricaGovernor-General of the Union of South AfricaThe Governor-General of the Union of South Africa was the representative of the British and later South African Crown in the Union of South Africa between 31 May 1910 and 31 May 1961... - South Africa is granted a League of Nations Class C mandateLeague of Nations mandateA League of Nations mandate was a legal status for certain territories transferred from the control of one country to another following World War I, or the legal instruments that contained the internationally agreed-upon terms for administering the territory on behalf of the League...
over South West AfricaSouth West AfricaSouth-West Africa was the name that was used for the modern day Republic of Namibia during the earlier eras when the territory was controlled by the German Empire and later by South Africa....
Births
- 12 May - Basil Gerald StapletonGerald StapletonSquadron Leader Basil Gerald "Stapme" Stapleton DFC was a Royal Air Force officer and fighter ace who flew Spitfires and Typhoons during World War II. He preferred the name Gerald and was nicknamed 'Stapme' after a phrase used in his favourite cartoon strip Just Jake published in The Daily Mirror...
, World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
fighter pilotFighter pilotA fighter pilot is a military aviator trained in air-to-air combat while piloting a fighter aircraft . Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting...
, is born in DurbanDurbanDurban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism... - 8 August - Nimrod SejakeNimrod SejakeNimrod Sejake was a labor leader in South Africa in the 1950s. He was a leading member of the Congress of South African Trade Unions, initially as secretary of the Iron Steel Workers, and became active in the African National Congress in Soweto in the 1950s.He was one of the defendants during the...
, activist is born in EvatonEvatonEvaton is a township north of Sebokeng in the Emfuleni region of Gauteng, South Africa. It was established in 1904. Like other townships in the area, Evaton was affected by the violent unrest which erupted in 1984 and by 1985 a state of emergency was imposed....
Brian Bunting, member of the ANC and freedom fighter, is born.
Deaths
- Olive Emilie Albertina Schreiner, author and feminist dies in Wynberg, Cape TownCape TownCape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...