1960 in South Africa
Encyclopedia
February
- 3 February – Harold MacmillanHarold MacmillanMaurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....
makes the Wind of ChangeWind of Change (speech)The Wind of Change speech was a historically important address made by British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan to the Parliament of South Africa, on 3 February 1960 in Cape Town. He had spent a month in Africa visiting a number of British colonies, as they were at the time...
speech to the Parliament of South AfricaParliament of South AfricaThe Parliament of South Africa is South Africa's legislature and under the country's current Constitution is composed of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces....
in 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...
, receiving a stony reception.
March
- 21 March – Sharpeville massacreSharpeville massacreThe Sharpeville Massacre occurred on 21 March 1960, at the police station in the South African township of Sharpeville in the Transvaal . After a day of demonstrations, at which a crowd of black protesters far outnumbered the police, the South African police opened fire on the crowd, killing 69...
, Police shoot and kill an estimated 69 people who were part of a demonstration against pass lawsPass lawsPass laws in South Africa were designed to segregate the population and limit severely the movements of the non-white populace. This legislation was one of the dominant features of the country's apartheid system. The Black population were required to carry these pass books with them when outside...
, in which all black South Africans needed a passbook to be able to travel about their own land - 22 March – Hendrik Frensch VerwoerdHendrik Frensch VerwoerdHendrik Frensch Verwoerd , commonly identified as H.F. Verwoerd, was Prime Minister of South Africa from 1958 until his assassination in 1966...
tells Parliament that the Anti-Pass Resistance in Sharpeville, GautengSharpeville, GautengSharpeville is a township situated between two large industrial cities of Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging in southern Gauteng, South Africa...
was not targeted against the government - 23 March – Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, leader of the Pan Africanist Congress, who led the Sharpeville demonstration, Albert LutuliAlbert LutuliAlbert John Lutuli , also known by his Zulu name Mvumbi, was a South African teacher and politician. Lutuli was elected president of the African National Congress , at the time an umbrella organisation that led opposition to the white minority government in South Africa...
for publicly burning his pass and 11 others are arrested for incitement of riots - 24 March – All public meetings more than 12 people are bannedBan (law)A ban is, generally, any decree that prohibits something.Bans are formed for the prohibition of activities within a certain political territory. Some see this as a negative act and others see it as maintaining the "status quo"...
, later reduced to meetings greater than 3 people - 30 March – The government declared a State of Emergency
April
- 8 April – The butt bans the African National CongressAfrican National CongressThe African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
and the Pan Africanist Congress with the coming into effect of the Unlawful Organisations Act. - 9 April – David Pratt shoots and injures Hendrik Verwoerd, the Prime Minister of South Africa, as he opened the Rand Easter Show at Milner Park, JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
- 19 April – The South-West Africa People's OrganisationSouth-West Africa People's OrganisationThe South West Africa People's Organization is a political party and former liberation movement in Namibia. It has been the governing party in Namibia since achieving independence in 1990...
(SWAPO) is founded in WindhoekWindhoekWindhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
, 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....
, to oppose South African rule
May
- 4 May – Robert SobukweRobert SobukweRobert Mangaliso Sobukwe was a South African political dissident, who founded the Pan Africanist Congress in opposition to the apartheid regime. In 2004 Sobukwe was voted 42nd in the SABC3's Great South Africans....
, President of the Pan Africanist Congress, is sentenced to 3 years imprisonment for incitement of Africans to urge the repeal of pass laws
October
- 5 October – whites vote in a referendum, to sever South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
's last links with the British monarchyBritish monarchyThe monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
and become a republicRepublicA republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
Births
- 16 July – PJ PowersPJ PowersPenelope Jane Dunlop also known as PJ Powers or Thandeka has enjoyed a highly successful musical career in South Africa spanning more than 15 years. P.J. Powers has recorded 15 albums and is well known for her UK chart hit "World In Union" in 1995.-Early life and career:Penelope was born in...
, musician, 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... - 24 August – Geraldine Joslyn Fraser-MoleketiGeraldine Fraser-MoleketiGeraldine Joslyn Fraser-Moleketi is a South African politician who was Minister for the Public Service and Administration since 17 June 1999 to 25 September 2008...
, politician - 16 October – Mark MathabaneMark MathabaneMark Mathabane is an author, lecturer, and a former collegiate tennis player and college professor.- Early life in South Africa :...
, author, tennis player born in JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...