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Arrival of Jan van Riebeeck
6 April, Jan Van Riebeck, a contract employee of the Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC) or the Dutch East India Company, arrives in the Cape Colony with instructions to establish a refreshment station for the company’s ships passing through the Cape on their way to the Far East. -
VOC releases company employees from their contracts
The VOC releases company employees from their contracts and grants them land to farm along the Liesbeeck River. These burghers were to sell their produce to the Company at fixed prices. -
VOC issues grazing permits
The VOC begins issuing grazing permits to farmers who apply for permission to take their livestock further inland for a period of months -
VOC charges fee for grazing permits
The VOC begins charging a fee for the use of grazing permits and also gives permit holders permission to grow small amounts of cereal. -
First British occupation in the Cape
The First British occupation of the Cape began -
VOC dissolved
The VOC is officially dissolved.
A fire devastates large areas of Cape Town.
The construction of the Cape Colony's first post office begins. -
Second British occupation in the Cape
The British occupy the Cape for a second time. After a skirmish between British troops and a Cape burgher militia at Blaauwberg, the Dutch capitulate. All property of the Batavian Government is surrendered to the British. -
Holland cedes the Cape to Britain.
Holland officialy cedes the Cape from the Batavian Government to Britain. -
The "Great Trek".
Afrikaner farmers, known as Boers, undertake a "Great Trek" to establish settlements in the South African interior -
Diamond discovery
diamonds are discovered near Kimberley. -
The Anglo-Boer War
The first Anglo-Boer War is fought between British troops and Afrikaner settlers -
Gold discovery
Gold is discovered in the Witwatersrand region of the Transvaal. -
JSE is established
Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) is established. -
First train in Johannesburg
First train steams into Johannesburg. -
First train in Pretoria
October, First train reaches Pretoria from the east. -
Second Anglo-Boer War
The second Anglo-Boer War breaks out, with the British gaining control of the Boer republics. (1899-1902) -
Union of South Africa.
The 2 republics and British colonies become the Union of South Africa, a self-governing dominion of the British Empire -
White women get to vote
White women get to vote. -
Creation of Apartheid
The victory of the National Party (NP) in all-white elections leads to the creation of a strict policy of white domination and racial separation known as "apartheid." -
Asian people receive a limited role in government.
Revisions to the constitution give colored and Asian people a limited role in the national government, but power remains in white hands. -
President F.W. De Klerk legalizes anti-apartheid groups
Following years of mounting black protest and increasing sanctions against South Africa because of apartheid, President F.W. De Klerk announces the unconditional release of Nelson Mandela from prison and the legalization of the ANC, PAC, and other anti-apartheid groups. -
First democratic elections take place.
First democratic elections take place in April under a new constitution. The ANC wins a majority in the legislature and elects Nelson Mandela as president -
Over 1,700,000 service jobs created.
Over 1,700,000 service jobs were created. Unfortunately it was in activities with limited improvements and possibilities. -
South Africa grew at an average of 4.5 percent year-on-year,
South Africa grew at an average of 4.5 percent year-on-year, its fastest expansion since the establishment of democracy in 1994. -
South Africa GDP Growth Rate averaged 3.23 Percent
South Africa GDP Growth Rate averaged 3.23 Percent from 1993 until 2013, reaching an all time high of 7.60 Percent in March of 1996 and a record low of -6.30 Percent in March of 2009. -
Global financial crisis
The global financial crisis reduced commodity prices and world demand
