tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engine; ...

land mine A land mine, or landmine, is an explosive weapon often concealed under or camouflaged on the ground, and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets as they pass over or near it. Land mines are divided into two types: anti-tank mines, wh ...

Ellisras Lephalale, formerly known as Ellisras, is a coal mining town in the Limpopo province of South Africa immediately east of the Waterberg Coalfield. The town was established as Ellisras in 1960 and named after Patrick Ellis and Piet Erasmus who settl ...

Botswana Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory part of the Kalahari Desert. It is bordered by South Africa to the sou ...

roadblock A roadblock is a temporary installation set up to control or block traffic along a road. The reasons for one could be: * Roadworks *Temporary road closure during special events * Police chase *Robbery * Sobriety checkpoint * Protests In peaceful ...

East London East London is the part of London, England, east of the ancient City of London and north of the River Thames as it begins to widen. East London developed as London Docklands, London's docklands and the primary industrial centre. The expansion of ...

King William's Town Qonce, formerly King William's Town, is a town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa along the banks of the Buffalo River (Eastern Cape), Buffalo River. The town is about northwest of the Indian Ocean port of East London, South Africa, ...

Pretoria Pretoria ( ; ) is the Capital of South Africa, administrative capital of South Africa, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to the country. Pretoria strad ...

limpet mine A limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets. It is so named because of its superficial similarity to the shape of the limpet, a type of sea snail that clings tightly to rocks or other hard surfaces. A swimmer or diver m ...

Durban Durban ( ; , from meaning "bay, lagoon") is the third-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the largest city in the Provinces of South Africa, province of KwaZulu-Natal. Situated on the east coast of South ...

Lesotho Lesotho, formally the Kingdom of Lesotho and formerly known as Basutoland, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Entirely surrounded by South Africa, it is the largest of only three sovereign enclave and exclave, enclaves in the world, t ...

Leabua Jonathan Joseph Leabua Jonathan (30 October 1914 – 5 April 1987) was the first prime minister of Lesotho. He succeeded Chief Sekhonyana Nehemia Maseribane following a by-election and held that post from 1965 to 1986. Early life and career Born in L ...

African National Congress The African National Congress (ANC) is a political party in South Africa. It originated as a liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid and has governed the country since 1994, when the 1994 South African general election, fir ...

Zambia Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa. It is typically referred to being in South-Central Africa or Southern Africa. It is bor ...

Mamelodi Mamelodi is a township northeast of Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. A part of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, it was set up by the then apartheid government in 1953. EtymologyP.W. Botha outlines government policy on the restoration of South African citizenship to Blacks. * A

Soweto Soweto () is a Township (South Africa), township of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for ''South Western T ...

man throws a

grenade A grenade is a small explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a Shell (projectile), shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A mod ...

at three policemen and is killed when the policemen retaliate. ;February * 2 – A soldier and a cadre are killed near Alldays. * 4 – Four

South African Army The South African Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of South Africa, a part of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), along with the South African Air Force, South African Navy and South African Military Health Servi ...

soldiers are injured when a cadre throws a grenade into their military vehicle at

Gugulethu Gugulethu is a township in Western Cape, South Africa and is around 20km from Cape Town. Its name is a contraction of ''igugu lethu'', which is Xhosa for ''our pride / our hope.'' The area was the third township to be established in Cape Town, a ...

. * 9 – A limpet mine destroys two police vehicles at Umlazi police station near Durban when parked after returning from riot patrol. * 10 – A large bomb is defused by police in

Amanzimtoti Amanzimtoti, locally nicknamed Toti, and officially renamed to eManzimtoti, is a coastal town just south of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Situated along the Sapphire Coast, the town is well known for its warm climate and numerous beach ...

, 200 m from where the December

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a n ...

blast took place for which Andrew Zondo was hanged. * 12 – A pick-up detonates an anti-

tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engine; ...

mine near

Messina Messina ( , ; ; ; ) is a harbour city and the capital city, capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of 216,918 inhabitants ...

, with no injuries. * 16 – A police

Casspir The Casspir is a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle that has been in use in South Africa since the 1980s. It is a four-wheeled, four-wheel drive vehicle, used for transport of troops. It can hold a crew of two, plus 12 additional soldiers an ...

detonates an anti-tank land mine in

Mamelodi Mamelodi is a township northeast of Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. A part of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, it was set up by the then apartheid government in 1953. Etymology Durban Durban ( ; , from meaning "bay, lagoon") is the third-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the largest city in the Provinces of South Africa, province of KwaZulu-Natal. Situated on the east coast of South ...

sub-station. * At De Deur a

limpet mine A limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets. It is so named because of its superficial similarity to the shape of the limpet, a type of sea snail that clings tightly to rocks or other hard surfaces. A swimmer or diver m ...

causes structural damage to a sub-station. * A hand grenade explodes in a

Transkei Transkei ( , meaning ''the area beyond Great Kei River,

he river The He River is a tributary of the Xi River in Guangxi and Guangdong provinces in China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it ...

Kei''), officially the Republic of Transkei (), was an list of historical unrecognized states and dependencies, unrecognised state in the southeastern region of South Africa f ...

minister's official car. ;March * 3 – Seven black men, the Gugulethu Seven, are killed in a confrontation with police in

Gugulethu Gugulethu is a township in Western Cape, South Africa and is around 20km from Cape Town. Its name is a contraction of ''igugu lethu'', which is Xhosa for ''our pride / our hope.'' The area was the third township to be established in Cape Town, a ...

. * 4 – An explosion on the 3rd floor of John Vorster Square injures two policemen and two civilians. * 7 – A

limpet mine A limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets. It is so named because of its superficial similarity to the shape of the limpet, a type of sea snail that clings tightly to rocks or other hard surfaces. A swimmer or diver m ...

is found at the

Hillbrow Hillbrow () is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is known for its high levels of population density, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. It had a large and active Jewish commun ...

Police Station and is safely detonated by police. * 7 – A State of Emergency that lasted eight months is lifted by the government. * 11 – Lowveld massacre: South African apartheid army and police forces opened fire on students attending a trial in the Kabokweni magistrate court, with fatalities among the casualties. * 12 – Esther Masuku, mother of youth activist and SACC member Oupa Masuku, is killed in a hand grenade attack on their house in

Atteridgeville Atteridgeville also recently known as “Pheli” is a township located to the west of Pretoria, South Africa. It is located to the east of Saulsville, to the west of West Park; to the north of Laudium and to the south of Lotus Gardens. The ...

,

Pretoria Pretoria ( ; ) is the Capital of South Africa, administrative capital of South Africa, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to the country. Pretoria strad ...

. * 12 – The Eminent Persons Group meets imprisoned

African National Congress The African National Congress (ANC) is a political party in South Africa. It originated as a liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid and has governed the country since 1994, when the 1994 South African general election, fir ...

leader

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela ( , ; born Rolihlahla Mandela; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as the first president of South Africa f ...

. * 15 – A limpet mine explodes in front of the Springs railway station, seriously injuring one person. * 17 – A mini-limpet is discovered at the Afrikaans high school at Elsburg,

Germiston Germiston, also known as kwaDukathole, is a city in the East Rand region of Gauteng, South Africa, administratively forming part of the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality since the latter's establishment in 2000. It functions as the m ...

and is safely detonated. * 18 – Police Constable Sinki Vuma is shot dead at his home in Mamelodi. * 19 – A car belonging to a special branch policeman is destroyed by a limpet mine. * 19 – A bomb blast occurs inside the property of the Springs

New Apostolic Church The New Apostolic Church (NAC) is a Christian denomination, Christian church of the Catholic Apostolic Church, Irvingian tradition. Its origins are in 1863, in the split from the Catholic Apostolic Church during a schism in Hamburg, Ger ...

. * 21 – Four mines explode at an Escom sub-station in Durban. * 25 –

Trevor Manuel Trevor Andrew Manuel (born 31 January 1956) is a retired South African politician and former anti-apartheid activist who served in the cabinet of South Africa between 1994 and 2014. He was the South African Department of Finance, Minister of ...

's ban is lifted. * 26 – A

Vosloorus Vosloorus is a large Township (South Africa), township situated south of Boksburg and just east of Katlehong in City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, Ekurhuleni, just 30 kilometres south-east of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. It was ...

man is killed by police when he throws a grenade at them. * Police come under fire at a funeral in Dobsonville. ;April * 8 – The home of the former Labour Party secretary in

Natal NATAL or Natal may refer to: Places * Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, a city in Brazil * Natal, South Africa (disambiguation), a region in South Africa ** Natalia Republic, a former country (1839–1843) ** Colony of Natal, a former British colony ( ...

, Kevin Leaf, is attacked. * 10 – A person is killed and four injured when a

limpet mine A limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets. It is so named because of its superficial similarity to the shape of the limpet, a type of sea snail that clings tightly to rocks or other hard surfaces. A swimmer or diver m ...

explodes at Braamfontein station in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...

. * 11 – Peter Nchabeleng, regional president of the United Democratic Front, dies in police custody in Schoonoord,

Lebowa Lebowa was a Bantustan ("homeland") located in the Transvaal Province, Transvaal in northeastern South Africa. Seshego initially acted as Lebowa's capital while the purpose-built Lebowakgomo was being constructed. Granted internal self-gover ...

. * 18 – Two people are killed and several others are injured when a bomb explodes at the Wild Coast Casino at Bizana in the

Eastern Cape Province The Eastern Cape ( ; ) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, and its largest city is Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). Due to its climate and nineteenth-century towns, it is a common location for tourists. It is also kno ...

. The

African National Congress The African National Congress (ANC) is a political party in South Africa. It originated as a liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid and has governed the country since 1994, when the 1994 South African general election, fir ...

denies responsibility. Phumzile Mayaphi would be charged, found guilty of murder and sabotage and sentenced to death on 12 May 1989. * 21 – Two anti-tank landmines detonate in the

Breyten Breyten is a small farming town in Mpumalanga, South Africa. It is situated at the foot of ''Klipstapel'', the highest point on the watershed between the westward-flowing Vaal River system and the eastward-flowing Olifants and Komati River sy ...

- Chrissiesmeer district, injuring two people in a taxi and one tractor driver. * 21 – A cadre is seriously injured when he and others attack the police in

Alexandra, Gauteng Alexandra, informally abbreviated to Alex, is a township in the Gauteng province of South Africa. It forms part of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality and is located next to the wealthy suburb of Sandton. Alexandra is bounded by ...

. * 23 – An explosion occurs at the Cala post office. * 24 – An explosion occurs at the Meyerspark post office. * 27 – Gordon Webster, under arrest in Edendale hospital, is aided to escape by Robert McBride and other

Umkhonto we Sizwe uMkhonto weSizwe (; abbreviated MK; ) was the paramilitary wing of the African National Congress (ANC), founded by Nelson Mandela in the wake of the Sharpeville massacre. Its mission was to fight against the South African government to brin ...

insurgents, who kill an innocent bystander and injure the two policemen who are guarding Webster. ;May * 1 – Two grenades are thrown at the home of Mr. Klein, principal of Wentworth Primary School. Klein and his wife are both injured. * 7 – A bomb explosion causes extensive damage to Benmore Gardens Shopping Centre,

Sandton Sandton is a financial, commercial and residential area, located in the northern part of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality. Formerly an independent municipality, Sandton's name came from the combination of two of its suburbs, Sa ...

. * 25 – A vehicle detonates an anti-tank mine on the farm of Colonel Koos Durr near Davel. Two civilians are killed and eight injured. * 26 – A tractor detonates a second anti-tank mine on the farm of Colonel Koos Durr, this time with no injuries. * Police finds a 15 kg bomb under a car in downtown Durban and defuses it. ;June * 5 –

Botswana Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory part of the Kalahari Desert. It is bordered by South Africa to the sou ...

, Mozambique, South Africa and

Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...

agree to the establishment of the Limpopo Basin Permanent Technical Committee. * 6 – Former minister of KaNgwane David Lukhele and his sister-in-law are murdered by

uMkhonto weSizwe uMkhonto weSizwe (; abbreviated MK; ) was the paramilitary wing of the African National Congress (ANC), founded by Nelson Mandela in the wake of the Sharpeville massacre. Its mission was to fight against the South African government to brin ...

's Neo Griffith Potsane, Jabu Obed Masina and Frans "Ting Ting" Masango. * 10 – A vehicle detonates an anti-tank mine on the farm Boshoek, 5 km from Volksrust, and injures one person. * 10 – On another farm, Blomhof, also near Volksrust, an anti-tank mine injures two farm workers. * 12 – The Government declares a nationwide state of emergency. * 14 – A

car bomb A car bomb, bus bomb, van bomb, lorry bomb, or truck bomb, also known as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), is an improvised explosive device designed to be detonated in an automobile or other vehicles. Car bombs can be roug ...

explodes outside the "Magoo's" and "Why Not" bars on the Durban beach-front bombing beachfront, killing three and injuring 69 civilians. Robert McBride would later be sentenced to death for the bombing but would be granted amnesty by the ANC government and appointed in several successive senior government positions. * 16 – A probable anti-tank mine explosion kills three

Bophuthatswana Bophuthatswana (, ), officially the Republic of Bophuthatswana (; ), and colloquially referred to as the Bop and by outsiders as Jigsawland (In reference to its enclave-ridden borders) was a Bantustan (also known as "Homeland", an area set asid ...

Defence Force troops in a troop carrier in the Winterveldt region. * 22 –

Limpet mine A limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets. It is so named because of its superficial similarity to the shape of the limpet, a type of sea snail that clings tightly to rocks or other hard surfaces. A swimmer or diver m ...

s damage fuel storage tanks and a liquid fuel pipeline at the

Mobil Mobil Oil Corporation, now known as just Mobil, is a petroleum brand owned and operated by American oil and gas corporation ExxonMobil, formerly known as Exxon, which took its current name after history of ExxonMobil#merger, it and Mobil merge ...

Refinery near Durban. * 22 – A

limpet mine A limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets. It is so named because of its superficial similarity to the shape of the limpet, a type of sea snail that clings tightly to rocks or other hard surfaces. A swimmer or diver m ...

explodes at 01h45 outside a Copper Shop on West Street, Durban. * 24 – An explosion at 14h00 injures 16 civilians at a Wimpy Bar fast-food restaurant on Rissik Street,

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...

. * 27 – At a police roadblock near the Botswana border four cadres are killed and one policeman injured. * 28 – An explosion just before 12h00 injures two people in a Queenstown shopping centre. * 29 – An explosion occurs at the

Alice Alice may refer to: * Alice (name), most often a feminine given name, but also used as a surname Literature * Alice (''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''), a character in books by Lewis Carroll * ''Alice'' series, children's and teen books by ...

post office. * 30 – A limpet mine explodes at 03h15 on a pedestrian bridge in Westville, Durban and a second limpet aimed at responding policemen explodes 15 minutes later. * A bomb explodes at Jabulani Amphitheatre in

Soweto Soweto () is a Township (South Africa), township of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for ''South Western T ...

, with no injuries. * Ten people are killed in an explosion in a minibus in

Bophuthatswana Bophuthatswana (, ), officially the Republic of Bophuthatswana (; ), and colloquially referred to as the Bop and by outsiders as Jigsawland (In reference to its enclave-ridden borders) was a Bantustan (also known as "Homeland", an area set asid ...

. ;July * 1 – An explosion outside the Carlton Hotel in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...

injures eight civilians. * 4 – A

limpet mine A limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets. It is so named because of its superficial similarity to the shape of the limpet, a type of sea snail that clings tightly to rocks or other hard surfaces. A swimmer or diver m ...

explodes outside Checkers supermarket in Silverton,

Pretoria Pretoria ( ; ) is the Capital of South Africa, administrative capital of South Africa, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to the country. Pretoria strad ...

and injures 20 civilians. * 5 – An explosion at the Mowbray police station in

Cape Town Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...

slightly injures two policemen. * 5 – One civilian is injured when a vehicle detonates an anti-tank land mine near Volksrust. * 5 – In

Vosloorus Vosloorus is a large Township (South Africa), township situated south of Boksburg and just east of Katlehong in City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, Ekurhuleni, just 30 kilometres south-east of Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. It was ...

and

Katlehong Katlehong is a large township in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. It is 28 km south-east of Johannesburg and south of Germiston between two other townships of Thokoza and Vosloorus next to the N3 highway. It forms part of the City of E ...

, five Development Board officials are killed in two attacks on their vehicles and two insurgents are killed in the return fire. * 6 – Police kill three cadres and arrest one in

Empangeni Empangeni is a town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is approximately 157 kilometres north of Durban, in hilly countryside, overlooking a flat coastal plain and the major harbour town of Richards Bay 16 kilometres away. The N2 freeway runs eas ...

. * 9 – Piet Ntuli, Minister of Home Affairs of

KwaNdebele KwaNdebele was a Bantustan in South Africa, intended by the Apartheid in South Africa, apartheid government as a semi-independent homeland for the South Ndebele people, Ndebele people. The homeland was created when the South African government ...

, is killed by a

car bomb A car bomb, bus bomb, van bomb, lorry bomb, or truck bomb, also known as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), is an improvised explosive device designed to be detonated in an automobile or other vehicles. Car bombs can be roug ...

explosion in KwaNdebele. * 10 – An explosion injures seven civilians in Silverton. * 10 – Police and members of the

South African Defence Force The South African Defence Force (SADF) (Afrikaans: ''Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag'') comprised the armed forces of South Africa from 1957 until 1994. Shortly before the state reconstituted itself as a republic in 1961, the former Union Defence Fo ...

ambush and kills 6 cadres near Alldays. * 22 – A policeman is killed in

Katlehong Katlehong is a large township in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. It is 28 km south-east of Johannesburg and south of Germiston between two other townships of Thokoza and Vosloorus next to the N3 highway. It forms part of the City of E ...

. * 23 – Passbook laws are relaxed to counter the escalating international condemnation * 28 – Two cadres are killed near

Nelspruit Mbombela, formerly Nelspruit, is a city in northeastern South Africa. It is the capital of the Mpumalanga province. Located on the Crocodile River, the city lies about by road west of the Mozambique border, east of Johannesburg and north of ...

. * 30 – The

Umtata Mthatha ( , ), alternatively rendered Umtata, is the main city of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in Eastern Cape province of South Africa and the capital of OR Tambo District Municipality. The city has an airport, previously known ...

Police station comes under attack and three policemen and four innocent bystanders are killed. * 30 – A vehicle detonates an anti-tank landmine near Nelspruit. * During a two-hour gun battle in

Mdantsane Mdantsane is a South African urban township situated 15 km away from East London and 37 km away from Qonce in the Eastern Cape. It is the second largest township in Eastern Cape and 17th largest in the Top 20 largest townships in So ...

police kill an insurgent. ;August * 3 – An explosion occurs at the Lakeside post office. * 15 –

Trevor Manuel Trevor Andrew Manuel (born 31 January 1956) is a retired South African politician and former anti-apartheid activist who served in the cabinet of South Africa between 1994 and 2014. He was the South African Department of Finance, Minister of ...

is detained for the second time, this time only to be released in

1988 1988 was a crucial year in the early history of the Internet—it was the year of the first well-known computer virus, the Morris worm, 1988 Internet worm. The first permanent intercontinental Internet link was made between the United State ...

. * 16 – Four cadres are killed and one injured in the eastern

Transvaal Transvaal is a historical geographic term associated with land north of (''i.e.'', beyond) the Vaal River in South Africa. A number of states and administrative divisions have carried the name ''Transvaal''. * South African Republic (1856–1902; ...

, near the

Swaziland Eswatini, formally the Kingdom of Eswatini, also known by its former official names Swaziland and the Kingdom of Swaziland, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by South Africa on all sides except the northeast, where ...

border. * 17 – A vehicle detonates an anti-tank landmine on the farm Stellen Rust near

Nelspruit Mbombela, formerly Nelspruit, is a city in northeastern South Africa. It is the capital of the Mpumalanga province. Located on the Crocodile River, the city lies about by road west of the Mozambique border, east of Johannesburg and north of ...

, killing five and injuring two civilians. * 22 –

Inkatha Freedom Party The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP; ) is a conservative political party in South Africa, which is a part of the current South African Third Cabinet of Cyril Ramaphosa, government of national unity together with the African National Congress (ANC). A ...

member Winnington Sabelo comes under grenade attack and

Umkhonto we Sizwe uMkhonto weSizwe (; abbreviated MK; ) was the paramilitary wing of the African National Congress (ANC), founded by Nelson Mandela in the wake of the Sharpeville massacre. Its mission was to fight against the South African government to brin ...

terrorists fire at the car of his wife as she enters the driveway, killing her and injuring three children. * 24 – In Imbali the home of town councilor Austin Kwejama comes under

grenade A grenade is a small explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a Shell (projectile), shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A mod ...

attack and one child is killed and another injured. * 26 – In White City Soweto, between 20 and 25 residents were shot and killed by police, over 60 wounded and four police were wounded. The shootings occurred after officials tried to evict residents participating in a rent boycott. The following day, a Black Town Councilor was hacked to death in retaliation. ;September * 1 – A bomb explodes at the Pick and Pay supermarket in Montclair,

Durban Durban ( ; , from meaning "bay, lagoon") is the third-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the largest city in the Provinces of South Africa, province of KwaZulu-Natal. Situated on the east coast of South ...

and injures one civilian. * 4 – Police broke up multiple mass funeral services for the victims of the 26 August massacre with tear gas, armored vehicles, and helicopters. A woman was reported killed, and many injured. * 7 –

Desmond Tutu Desmond Mpilo Tutu (7 October 193126 December 2021) was a South African Anglican bishop and theologian, known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist. He was Bishop of Johannesburg from 1985 to 1986 and then Archbishop ...

becomes the first black

Anglican Church Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

bishop in South Africa. * 7 – A car bomb explodes not far from '' The Stars Seaside Home in Durban, a holiday home for underprivileged children. * 24 – The home of

Soweto Soweto () is a Township (South Africa), township of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for ''South Western T ...

Housing Director, Del Kevin, is extensively damaged by a

limpet mine A limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets. It is so named because of its superficial similarity to the shape of the limpet, a type of sea snail that clings tightly to rocks or other hard surfaces. A swimmer or diver m ...

. * 30 – A Northern Natal policeman is injured in an attack. * A mini-limpet mine explodes in the bar of the Devonshire Hotel, a popular venue for Wits students, injuring three civilians. * A grenade is thrown into a crowded night club in Edenpark, Alberton. ;October * 1 – The South African Railways Police is dissolved and its assets, personnel, and functions are transferred to the

South African Police The South African Police (SAP) was the national police force and law enforcement agency in South Africa from 1913 to 1994; it was the ''de facto'' police force in the territory of South West Africa (Namibia) from 1939 to 1981. After South Af ...

. * 6 – Six soldiers are injured when their military vehicle detonates an anti-tank mine at Mbuzini near the

Mozambique Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country located in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Eswatini and South Afr ...

border. * 9 – Police Lieutenant Victor Raju is killed in a grenade attack on his home in

Durban Durban ( ; , from meaning "bay, lagoon") is the third-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the largest city in the Provinces of South Africa, province of KwaZulu-Natal. Situated on the east coast of South ...

. * 19 – President

Samora Machel Samora Moisés Machel (29 September 1933 – 19 October 1986) was a Mozambique, Mozambican politician and revolutionary. A Socialism, socialist in the tradition of Marxism–Leninism, he served as the first President of Mozambique from the coun ...

of

Mozambique Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country located in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Eswatini and South Afr ...

dies when his

Tupolev Tu-134 The Tupolev Tu-134 (NATO reporting name: Crusty) is a twin-engined, narrow-body jet airliner built in the Soviet Union for short and medium-haul routes from 1966 to 1989. The original version featured a glazed-nose design and, like certain oth ...

aircraft flies into the ground near Mbuzini in South Africa. * 20 – A

limpet mine A limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets. It is so named because of its superficial similarity to the shape of the limpet, a type of sea snail that clings tightly to rocks or other hard surfaces. A swimmer or diver m ...

explodes outside the Lamontville Police station. * 22 – Two anti-tank landmine explosions occur. * 31 – Detective Warrant Officer Seleka is killed in a grenade attack on his home. * The police station in

Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to: *Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom *Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom *Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area ...

is attacked. ;November * 2 or 4 – An anti-tank landmine explosion kills one woman and injures a child near

Nelspruit Mbombela, formerly Nelspruit, is a city in northeastern South Africa. It is the capital of the Mpumalanga province. Located on the Crocodile River, the city lies about by road west of the Mozambique border, east of Johannesburg and north of ...

. * 4 – A landmine kills a soldier on horseback in the eastern

Transvaal Transvaal is a historical geographic term associated with land north of (''i.e.'', beyond) the Vaal River in South Africa. A number of states and administrative divisions have carried the name ''Transvaal''. * South African Republic (1856–1902; ...

. * 10 – Two bombs explode at the

Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to: *Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom *Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom *Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area ...

Magistrates Court, injuring 24 people including the Magistrate and Public Prosecutor. * 13 – The system of

Pass laws In South Africa under apartheid, and South West Africa (now Namibia), pass laws served as an internal passport system designed to racially segregate the population, restrict movement of individuals, and allocate low-wage migrant labor. Also ...

was formally repealed * 14 – A landmine injures a farmer and his son in the Alldays district. * 23 – A

limpet mine A limpet mine is a type of naval mine attached to a target by magnets. It is so named because of its superficial similarity to the shape of the limpet, a type of sea snail that clings tightly to rocks or other hard surfaces. A swimmer or diver m ...

explodes at Fordsburg flats, new housing for Soweto

town council A town council, city council or municipal council is a form of local government for small municipalities. Usage of the term varies under different jurisdictions. Republic of Ireland In 2002, 49 urban district councils and 26 town commissi ...

lors. * Two offices of PUTCO bus company are bombed in

Soweto Soweto () is a Township (South Africa), township of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for ''South Western T ...

after a fare increase of 17.5% is announced. ;December * 15 – A police vehicle detonates an anti-tank mine in the Barberton area, injuring the two occupants. * 19 – An anti-tank landmine injures defence force members in the

Komatipoort Komatipoort is a town situated at the confluence of the Crocodile and Komati Rivers in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. The town is 8 km from the Crocodile Bridge Gate into the Kruger National Park, just 3 km from the Mozambique borde ...

area. * 19 – A grenade attack is executed on the home of a Soweto councillor and two policemen are injured. * 27 – Three cadres and two policemen are killed near

Messina Messina ( , ; ; ; ) is a harbour city and the capital city, capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of 216,918 inhabitants ...

.

Births

* 2 January – Refilwe Modiselle, South Africa's first professional fashion model with

albinism Albinism is the congenital absence of melanin in an animal or plant resulting in white hair, feathers, scales and skin and reddish pink or blue eyes. Individuals with the condition are referred to as albinos. Varied use and interpretation of ...

* 7 February – Jenna Dreyer, diver * 10 February – Christine Kalmer, long-distance runner * 25 February – Eric Macheru, actor * 16 March – Bernard Parker, football player * 21 March – Kerry-Lee Harrington, badminton player * 6 April – Bryce Moon, football player * 25 April – Waylon Murray, rugby player * 5 May – Bokang Montjane, Miss World Africa at

Miss World 2011 Miss World 2011 was the 61st edition of the Miss World pageant, held at the Earls Court Two in London, United Kingdom, on 6 November 2011. Alexandria Mills of the United States crowned Ivian Sarcos of Venezuela as her successor at the en ...

. * 20 May &ndash
Riaan Fitzgeald
Creative Designer * 23 May – Thanduyise Khuboni, football player * 27 May – Thuso Phala, football player * 3 June – Lwazi Mvovo, rugby player * 15 June – Dann-Jacques Mouton, actor * 19 June – Lady Zamar, singer * 3 July –

Duane Vermeulen Daniel Johannes "Duane" Vermeulen (born 3 July 1986) is a former South African professional rugby union player who previously played for the South Africa national team. He also previously played for Ulster Rugby in the United Rugby Championsh ...

, rugby player * 8 July – Zandre Labuschagne, artistic gymnast * 12 July – JP Pietersen, Springbok rugby player * 21 July – Heinrich Brüssow, rugby player * 19 August –

Lehlohonolo Majoro Lehlohonolo Majoro (born 19 August 1986 in Ladybrand) is a South African footballer who played as a forward for several Premier Soccer League sides and the South African national team. Club career Kaizer Chiefs He made his unofficial debut in ...

, football player * 28 August –

Justin Pietersen Justin Pietersen (born 28 August 1986 in Cape Town, South Africa) is a South African figure skater. He is the 2005 and 2007 South African national champion. His older sister Abigail Pietersen Abigail Pietersen (born 1 October 1984, in Cap ...

, figure skater * 11 September – Chiliboy Ralepelle, rugby player * 18 November – James Thompson (rower),

olympics The modern Olympic Games (Olympics; ) are the world's preeminent international sporting events. They feature summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a variety of competit ...

gold medalist rower * 4 October – Andries Venter, rugby league and rugby union footballer * 29 October – Katlego Maboe, TV presenter, singer-songwriter * 22 November –

Oscar Pistorius Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius ( , ; born 22 November 1986) is a South African double amputee, former professional sprinter, and convicted murderer. He was the 10th athlete to compete at both the Paralympic Games and Olympic Games. Pistorius r ...

, Paralympic athlete * 27 December Thulani Stokwe , Pan Africanist, Home economist.

Deaths

* 8 March –

Moses Mabhida Moses Mncane Mbheki Mabhida (11 October 1923 – 8 March 1986) was a South African politician. Mabhida was leader of the South African Communist Party from 1978 until his death in 1986. Biography Mabhida was born in Thornville, Natal to a ...

, general secretary of the South African Communist Party. (b. 1923) * 24 December – Richard van der Riet Woolley, astronomer and director of

South African Astronomical Observatory The South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) is the national centre for optical and infrared astronomy in South Africa. It was established in 1972. The observatory is run by the National Research Foundation of South Africa. The facility's f ...

. (b. 1906)

Sports

Athletics

* 3 May – Zithulele Sinqe wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:08:04 in

Port Elizabeth Gqeberha ( , ), formerly named Port Elizabeth, and colloquially referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipal ...

.

References

{{Africa topic, 1986 in, state=collapsed

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

Years in South Africa

Incumbents

Events

Births

Deaths

Sports

Athletics

References