1983 in South Africa
Encyclopedia
January
- 26 January - One person is killed and five injured by a bomb that explodes at the New Brighton Community Council offices
- 30 January - A bomb explodes at the PietermaritzburgPietermaritzburgPietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
Supreme Court Explosion
February
- 7 February - Cedric Mayson, a former Methodist minister is charged with treason and being a member or an active supporter of 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...
. The case was to resume on the 18 April but he fled to BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
while on bail. - 10 February - Umkhonto we SizweUmkhonto we SizweUmkhonto we Sizwe , translated "Spear of the Nation," was the armed wing of the African National Congress which fought against the South African apartheid government. MK launched its first guerrilla attacks against government installations on 16 December 1961...
cadres burn 5 square kilometres of land in the Richards Bay area in an arson attack - 11 February - The Drakensberg Administration Board offices are damaged by a bomb
- 12 February - A bomb injures 76 people at the Free State Administration Board offices
- 20 February - Umkhonto we Sizwe cadres try to set the PelindabaPelindabaPelindaba is South Africa's main Nuclear Research Centre, run by The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation, and was the location where South Africa's atomic bombs of the 1970s were developed, constructed and subsequently stored...
NuclearNuclear reactionIn nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry, a nuclear reaction is semantically considered to be the process in which two nuclei, or else a nucleus of an atom and a subatomic particle from outside the atom, collide to produce products different from the initial particles...
Research Station on fire in an arson attack
March
- 12 March - A bomb on railway coach on 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...
bound passenger train explodes - 21 March - Second bomb explodes at the Supreme Court in Pietermaritzburg
April
- 21 April - Third bomb explodes at the Supreme Court in PietermaritzburgPietermaritzburgPietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
- 30 April - The Prime Minister of South Africa, Pieter Willem BothaPieter Willem BothaPieter Willem Botha , commonly known as "P. W." and Die Groot Krokodil , was the prime minister of South Africa from 1978 to 1984 and the first executive state president from 1984 to 1989.First elected to Parliament in 1948, Botha was for eleven years head of the Afrikaner National Party and the...
meets with LesothoLesothoLesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over in size with a population of approximately 2,067,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name...
's Minister of Foreign Affairs to discusses the Lesotho Highlands Water ProjectLesotho Highlands Water ProjectThe Lesotho Highlands Water Project is an ongoing water supply project with a hydropower component, developed in partnership between the governments of Lesotho and South Africa. It comprises a system of several large dams and tunnels throughout Lesotho and South Africa. In Lesotho, it involves the...
May
- Two explosions cause R250 000 worth of damage to the Offices of the Department of Internal Affairs in Roodepoort
- A skirmish on the BotswanaBotswanaBotswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
border leaves four terrorists or freedom fighters and a South African ArmySouth African ArmyThe South African Army is the army of South Africa, first formed after the Union of South Africa was created in 1910.The South African military evolved within the tradition of frontier warfare fought by commando forces, reinforced by the Afrikaners' historical distrust of large standing armies...
soldier dead - 13 May - An explosive device (37 kg of explosives in a gas cylinder) is found and defused by police under a bridge on the Southern Freeway, 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...
- 20 May - A car bomb explodes during the afternoon rush hour period outside 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...
Head Quarters, opposite a building housing military intelligence personnel in PretoriaPretoriaPretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
. (19 killed and 217 injured) - 23 May - The South African Air Force retaliates by attacking 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...
facilities in the suburb of Matola in MaputoMaputoMaputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
, MozambiqueMozambiqueMozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
with 12 Impala MkIIAermacchi MB-326The Aermacchi or Macchi MB-326 is a light military jet aircraft designed in Italy. Originally conceived as a two-seat trainer, there have also been single and two-seat light attack versions produced. It is one of the most commercially successful aircraft of its type, being bought by more than 10...
s and 2 Mirage F1AZDassault Mirage F1The Dassault Mirage F1 is a French air-superiority fighter and attack aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation as a successor of the Mirage III family. The Mirage F1 entered service in the French Air Force in the early seventies...
s (Operation SKERWE)
June
- 17 June - Police defuse a bomb found on a power pylon at New Canada railway station in SowetoSowetoSoweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
- 28 June - Bomb explodes at the Department of Internal Affairs in Roodepoort
July
- 7 July - Two bombs are found and defused at the Durban Supreme Court while in Roodepoort two bombs detonate at 00:40 causing structural damage to the Department of Internal Affairs and the Police Station
August
- 6 August - A bomb explodes at Temple Israel in Hillbrow just before Marais Steyn is due to speak there; no injuries
- 20 August - A bomb causes R100,000 damage to a sub-station near Mamelodi
- 26 August - A Limpet mine explodes at 18:50 at the CiskeiCiskeiCiskei was a Bantustan in the south east of South Africa. It covered an area of 2,970 square miles , almost entirely surrounded by what was then the Cape Province, and possessed a small coastline along the shore of the Indian Ocean....
(former BantustanBantustanA bantustan was a territory set aside for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa , as part of the policy of apartheid...
)consular generals offices in the Carlton Centre, 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...
; one injured
September
- 8 September - Two bombs damage sub-stations in the Johannesburg area (Randburg and Sandton)
- 11 September - More sub-stations are damaged by Limpet mines In Johannesburg (BryanstonBryanstonBryanston is a village and civil parish in north Dorset, England, situated on the River Stour one mile west of Blandford Forum. The parish has a population of 968 . The village is adjacent to the grounds of Bryanston School, an independent school.The village was named after Brian de Lisle, a...
North and FairlandFairlands, GautengFairland is a residential suburb in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. The area originates from a farm called Weltenvrede.Currently, statistics show that Fairland has the lowest crime compared to other suburbs within Johannesburg....
) - 12 September - Ciskei offices in Pretoria are damaged by a Limpet mine
- 13 September - A bomb explodes at 19h45 in the Rowntree'sRowntree'sRowntree's was a confectionery business based in York, England. It is now a historic brand owned by Nestlé, used to market a range of fruit gums and pastilles formerly owned by Rowntree's. Following a merger with John Mackintosh & Co., the Company became known as Rowntree Mackintosh, was listed on...
factory in Umbilo, 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... - 29 September - Police defuses a bomb that was found on an electrical pylon in Vereeniging
October
- 11 October - Limpet mines explode at 02:20 and damage a large fuel storage tanks, three rail tankers and one road tanker at Bela BelaBela Bela' is a town in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Deriving its name from the geothermic hot springs around which the town was built, it is widely known by the name Warmbaths, officially changed to the current name in 2002. Likewise, the Afrikaans name for the town was Warmbad before the name...
(previously Warmbaths). Two more devices set to explode 1 hour later were found on door of Civil Defence office. PW BothaPieter Willem BothaPieter Willem Botha , commonly known as "P. W." and Die Groot Krokodil , was the prime minister of South Africa from 1978 to 1984 and the first executive state president from 1984 to 1989.First elected to Parliament in 1948, Botha was for eleven years head of the Afrikaner National Party and the...
was due to speak in Warmbaths - 14 October - two electricity pylons near Pietermaritzburg are destroyed by Limpet mines at 02:00 and 03:00
November
- 1 November - Buses at municipal bus depot in Durban are damaged by a bomb that explodes at midnight
- The railway line at GermistonGermiston, GautengGermiston is a city in the East Rand of Gauteng in South Africa. Germiston is now the seat of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality which includes much of the East Rand, and is also considered part of Greater Johannesburg.-History:...
is damaged by a bomb - Police defuse a bomb on the railway line near Springs
- The South African Defence ForceSouth African Defence ForceThe South African Defence Force was the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994. The former Union Defence Force was renamed to the South African Defence Force in the Defence Act of 1957...
launch Operation AskariOperation AskariOperation Askari was a military operation by the South African Defence Force during the South African Border War and Angolan Civil War....
- The railway line at Germiston
- 2 November - A bomb that explodes at 02:55 at the Police workshop in Wentworth, Durban damages vehicles and an adjacent student residence (Alan Taylor Residence)
- 3 November - The Bosmont railway station is damaged by a bomb
- Bosmont/Newclare railway line damaged in explosion
- The railway line near Germiston damaged by explosion
- Police defuseThe railway line near Springs; explosives defused
- 22 November - Electrical pylons are damaged by two explosions near Durban
December
- 3 or 7 December - Bomb explodes at the office of Department of Community Development in Bree Street, Johannesburg
- 8 December - the railway line 1 km from BloemfonteinBloemfonteinBloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
is maliciously damaged and a locomotive and two trucks are derailed - 12 December - Seven people are injured when a Limpet mine explodes at the offices of Department of Community Development and Commissioners Court in Johannesburg
- 15 December - Three bombs explode on the beach front outside the Natal Command HQ in Durban
- 19 December - A bomb causes R60,000 worth of damage to the KwaMashuKwaMashuKwaMashu is a township twenty miles north of Durban, South Africa with very high levels of poverty and crime.-History:The township was formed by the apartheid state to house the mass resettlement of Africans that were living in Cato Manor during 1958-65. It is the largest of 3 townships in the area...
(Durban)township offices
Unknown date
- A new Constitution provides for a tricameral parliament for coloureds, Indians and whites
- United Democratic FrontUnited Democratic Front (South Africa)The United Democratic Front was one of the most important anti-apartheid organisations of the 1980s. The non-racial coalition of about 400 civic, church, students', workers' and other organisations was formed in 1983, initially to fight the just-introduced idea of the Tricameral Parliament The...
is launched by 575 community groups, trade unions, sporting bodies, women's and youth organizations
Athletics
- 30 April – Kevin Flanegan wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:16:21 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...
.
Births
- 13 April – Schalk BurgerSchalk BurgerSchalk Burger Jr. is a South African rugby union player. He plays the position of flanker in the Springbok rugby union team.-Father:...
, Springboks rugby player - 12 June – Bryan HabanaBryan HabanaBryan Gary Habana is a South African rugby union player who plays as a wing for the Western Province in the Currie Cup, the Stormers in Super 14, and the 2007 Rugby World Cup champions Springboks...
, Springboks rugby player - 23 August - Wayne SandilandsWayne SandilandsWayne Sandilands is a South African football goalkeeper for Mamelodi Sundowns in the Premier Soccer League.-External links:* at National Football Teams...
, footballer
Deaths
- James Arthur Calata, 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...
leader and Anglican clergyman, dies in CradockCradock, Eastern CapeCradock is a town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, in the upper valley of the Great Fish River, by rail northeast of Port Elizabeth. The town is the administrative seat of the Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality in the Chris Hani District of the Eastern Cape. The estimated population... - 10 September - John Vorster, former Prime Minister and President, dies at the age of 67
- 19 September - Yusuf DadooYusuf DadooYusuf Mohamed Dadoo was a Muslim Indian South African communist and anti-apartheid activist. In his life he was chair of both the South African Indian Congress and the South African Communist Party, as well as being a major proponent of cooperation between those organisations and the African...
, doctor and politician, dies at the age of 74