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Apartheid
Apartheid dominated domestic politics as the Nationalists gained power and imposed greater restrictions on Bantus (black Africans) Asians, and Coloreds. Black voters were removed from the voter rolls in 1936. -
1945
Jan Christiaan Smuts brought the nation into World War II on the Allied side against Nationalist opposition. In 1945, South Africa Became a charter member of the United Nations. Jan refused to sign the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. -
Black proteasteres
In 1960, 70 black protesters were killed during a peaceful demonstration in Sharpesville. The African National Congress (ANC) was banned that year. The leader, Nelson Mandela, was sentenced to life imprisonment. Black protests against apartheid grew stronger and more violent. -
Repulic
In 1961,South Africa declared itself a republic and severed its ties with the Commonwealth, -
1977
India helped to draw attention on the Indian population in Southern Africa and as various countries claimed their independence. In 1977 UN helped draw attention to South Afria. -
ANC's leader is free
in 1989, De Klerk removed the ban on the ANC and released its leader, Nelson Mandela, after 27 years of imprisonment.The Inkatha Freedom Party, a black opposition group led by Mangosuthu Buthelezi, frequently clashed with the ANC during this period. -
CODESA
In 1991, a multiracial forum led by de Klerk and Mandela, the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA), began working on a new constitution. -
IN 1993
In 1993, an interim constitution was passed, The peaceful transition of South Africa from one of the world's most repressive societies into a democracy is one of the 20th century's most remarkable. Mandela and de Klerk were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. -
Human rights
In 1997 the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, chaired by Desmond Tutu, began hearings regarding human rights violations between 1960 and 1993.The commission promised amnesty to those who confessed their crimes under those crimes. -
Mandels
The 1994 election, the country's first multiracial one, resulted in a massive victory for Mandela and his ANC. The new government included six ministers from the National Party and three from the Inkatha Freedom Party. -
South Africa's general election
April 15, 2004, the African National Congress won South Africa's general election in a landslide, taking about 70% of the vote, and Thabo Mbeki was sworn in for a second term. -
Zuma
In Dec. 2007, African National Committee delegates chose Jacob Zuma as their leader, ousting Mbeki, who had been in control of the party for the last ten years. -
December
In December, prosecutors reopened corruption charges against Zuma and ordered him to face trial for "various counts of racketeering, money laundering, corruption, and fraud." He was accused of accepting more than $440,000 in bribes in exchange for helping a friend, Schabir Shaik, secure $5 billion in an arms deal and other government contracts. Zuma's lawyers accused Mbeki of trying to sabotage Zuma's political career. -
SASC
South African's Supreme Court reinstated corruption charges against Zuma in January 2009, saying that a lower court had "overstepped" its authority in dismissing the charges. Habout two weeks before national elections, citing abuse by investigators who were loyal to former president Mbeki. -
Zuma for leader
n Dec. 2012, Zuma was again elected leader of the African National Congress, which stands him in good stead for the 2014 presidential elections. Jacob Zuma achieved in spite of criticism for his goverment's handling of the wage protests in Marikana in which 34 people were brutally killed by police. -
Oscar Pistorius
Oscar Pistorius was arrested in February 2013 and charged with the shooting death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. She was found dead in his apartment. Pistorius denied he killed her and was released on bail. His trial began in April 2014.
