1999 in South Africa
Encyclopedia
Events
- 20 March – The Azanian People's Liberation ArmyAzanian People's Liberation ArmyThe Azanian People's Liberation Army was the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress in South Africa. It was originally called Poqo.-History:...
(APLA), the underground military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), disbands - 24 March – Allan BoesakAllan BoesakReverend Allan Aubrey Boesak is a South African Dutch Reformed Church cleric and politician and anti-apartheid activist...
, former Director of the Foundation for Peace and Justice, is sentenced to 8 years in prison for fraud - 31 March – 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...
High Court finds Sipho ThwalaSipho ThwalaSipho Mandla Agmatir Thwala is a South African rapist and serial killer who was convicted in 1999 for the murders of 16 women and 10 rapes and was sentenced to 506 years in prison. Thwala was known by the moniker "The Phoenix Strangler"....
guilty of 16 murders and 10 rapes, and sentences him to 506 years in prison - 20 April – Judge Edwin CameronEdwin CameronEdwin Cameron is a South African Rhodes scholar and current Constitutional Court justice. Cameron served as a Supreme Court of Appeal judge from 2000 to 2008. He was the first senior South African official to state publicly that he was living with HIV/AIDS...
, a high court judge and human rights advocate, announces that he is HIV positive - 23 April – Makhaya NtiniMakhaya NtiniMakhaya Ntini is a former South African cricketer who was the first ethnically black player to play for the South African team. A fast bowler, he tends to bowl from wide of the crease with brisk, although not express, pace...
, a cricketer, is found guilty of raping a student - 2 June – The second democratic electionsSouth African general election, 1999South Africa's second non-racial general election, held on 2 June 1999 was won by the African National Congress , who increased their number of seats by 14. Notable was the sharp decline of the New National Party, previously the National Party , who without former president F.W. de Klerk lost more...
is held and is won by 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... - 10 June – George BizosGeorge BizosGeorge Bizos is a distinguished human rights advocate who campaigned against apartheid in South Africa, most notably during the Rivonia Trial.-Early life:...
is awarded the Order for Meritorious Service Class II medal from President Nelson MandelaNelson MandelaNelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing... - 16 June – Thabo MbekiThabo MbekiThabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008. He is also the brother of Moeletsi Mbeki...
becomes the 2nd President of South AfricaPresident of South AfricaThe President of the Republic of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under South Africa's Constitution. From 1961 to 1994, the head of state was called the State President.... - 6 months after discovery by Sivan Pillay (EMI), WatershedWatershed (South African band)Watershed is a South African Pop-Rock band, which was founded in Johannesburg in 1998.-History:Most famous for their signature tune 'Indigo Girl' in 2002, Watershed became a 'natural' success when a German radio DJ heard the single whilst vacationing in South Africa and played it on the air in...
are officially signed to major label EMI Music South Africa and begin recording their first album In the Meantime - 2 September – A 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...
Alouette IIIAérospatiale Alouette IIIThe Aérospatiale Alouette III is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by Sud Aviation. It was manufactured by Aérospatiale of France, and under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in India as Hal Chetak and Industria Aeronautică Română in Romania.The Alouette III is the...
helicopter crashes near Port Elizabeth killing the pilot Major KA Newman and seriously injuring two crew members - 22 October – Henry Navigator, a 13,000 gross tonnage CyprusCyprusCyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
bulk carrier, sinks off Bok Point about 35 km north of 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... - 23 October – A 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...
OryxAtlas OryxThe Atlas Oryx is a medium-sized utility helicopter manufactured by the Atlas Aircraft Corporation of South Africa.-Design and development:...
helicopter crashes near KroonstadKroonstadKroonstad is the third-largest town in the Free State province of South Africa, and lies two hours drive from Gauteng. In the 1991 census it had a population of 110,963...
killing 10 people and injuring 14 others - Elizabeth II and the Duke of EdinburghPrince Philip, Duke of EdinburghPrince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
visit South Africa - The Greater St. Lucia Wetland ParkGreater St. Lucia Wetland ParkiSimangaliso Wetland Park is situated on the east coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa about 275 kilometres north of Durban. It is South Africa's third-largest protected area, spanning 280 km of coastline, from the Mozambican border in the north to Mapelane south of the St Lucia estuary, and...
is declared a UNESCO World Heritage SiteWorld Heritage SiteA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
Unknown Date
- Statistics South AfricaStatistics South AfricaStatistics South Africa is the national statistical service of South Africa, with the goal of producing timely, accurate, and official statistics in order to advance economic growth, development, and democracy. To this end, Statistics South Africa produces official demographic, economic, and...
– conducts a Survey of Activities of Young PeopleSurvey of Activities of Young PeopleThe Survey of Activities of Young People is a national household-based survey of work-related activities among South African children, conducted for the first time in 1999 by Statistics South Africa....
Athletics
- 28 February – Frank Pooe wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:12:40 in PinelandsPinelands, Cape TownThe "garden city" suburb of Pinelands is located on the edge of the southern suburbs of Cape Town in South Africa and is known for its large thatched houses. The suburb is primarily residential and is often praised for its peacefulness and abundance of trees...
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Deaths
- 10 January – Dr Jan SchutteJan SchütteJan Schütte is a German film director and screenwriter. He has directed twelve films since 1982. His film Abschied - Brechts letzter Sommer was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival.-Filmography:...
, author and former director-general of the SABC, dies 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...
at the age of 79 - 14 January – Benny Lategan, a South African Police ServiceSouth African Police ServiceThe South African Police Service is the national police force of the Republic of South Africa. Its 1116 police stations in South Africa are divided according to the provincial borders, and a Provincial Commissioner is appointed in each province...
captain who was investigating the People Against Gangsterism and DrugsPeople Against Gangsterism and DrugsPeople Against Gangsterism and Drugs was formed in 1996 as an Islamically-oriented, militant group in the Cape Flats area of Cape Town, South Africa. It claims to fight drugs and gangsterism but its members have been implicated in several criminal and terrorist acts.-Origins:PAGAD grew as an...
(PAGAD) is killed in a drive-by-shooting 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... - 7 March – Bobby HendricksBobby HendricksBobby Hendricks is an American R&B singer who charted two hits in the late 1950s. However, before embarking on a solo career, Bobby Hendricks was a member of The Swallows and recorded with The Flyers before becoming a successful solo act...
(aka: King of Langarm music), a saxophone player dies in Cape Town at the age of 63