1953 in South Africa explained

The following lists events that happened during 1953 in South Africa.

Incumbents

• Monarch: Queen Elizabeth II.
• Governor-General and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: Ernest George Jansen.
• Prime Minister: Daniel François Malan.
• Chief Justice: Albert van der Sandt Centlivres.

Events

May

• 9  - The Liberal Party of South Africa is formed in Cape Town by Alan Paton.

July

• 29  - Santam Insurance Company is registered, following the separation of trust and insurance operations.

September

• Mimi Coertse leaves South Africa for London.

December

• 18–20  - The 42nd Annual Conference of the African National Congress takes place in Queenstown.

Unknown date

• The Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA), banned by the National Party government, relaunches itself underground as the South African Communist Party (SACP).
• Bantu Education Act is voted, and will start 1 January 1954.

Births

• 12 January  - Steven De Groote, classical pianist. (d. 1989)
• 13 January  - Derek Hanekom, activist and politician.
• 15 February  - Mantfombi Dlamini, Queen Consort of the Zulu Nation. (d. 2021)
• 5 March  - Tokyo Sexwale, businessman, politician and activist.
• 29 April  - Bill Drummond, British musician
• 22 October  - Loyiso Nongxa, mathematician.
• 7 December  - Naledi Pandor, national minister

Deaths

• 1 July  - Totius, Afrikaans poet. (b. 1877)

Railways

Railway lines opened

• 14 October  - Cape  - Lohatla to Sishen, 17miles.^[1]

Locomotives

Two new Cape gauge locomotive types enter service on the South African Railways (SAR):

• The first of ninety Class 25 4-8-4 Northern type condensing steam locomotives.
• The first of fifty Class 25NC non-condensing versions of the Class 25 Condenser.

Sports

Football

• 22 November  - In a friendly match the South Africa national football team loses 1–3 to the Portugal national football team at the National Stadium, Lisbon, Portugal.

Notes and References

1. Statement Showing, in Chronological Order, the Date of Opening and the Mileage of Each Section of Railway, Statement No. 19, p. 191, ref. no. 200954-13