1956 in South Africa explained

The following lists events that happened during 1956 in South Africa.

Incumbents

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

Events

February

• 1  - The South African government severs diplomatic ties with the Soviet Union as a result of its support for the South African Communist Party.^[1]

March

• 16  - The Riotous Assemblies Act no. 17 is passed, prohibiting any outside gathering that the Minister of Justice deems a threat to public peace.
• 17  - Mimi Coertse makes her Vienna State Opera debut as Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute (Mozart).

August

• 9  - Women's march on the Union Buildings in Pretoria in protest against the pass laws.

December

• 5  - 156 leading activists are arrested, heralding the start of the Treason Trial. Among those arrested is Lillian Masediba Ngoyi.
• 19  - The Four year long Treason Trial begins at the Drill Hall in Johannesburg.

Unknown date

• Lillian Masediba Ngoyi is elected president of the Federation of South African Women.
• Lillian Masediba Ngoyi becomes the first woman to be elected to the African National Congress National Executive Committee.
• Segregation is introduced on buses.
• Albert Lutuli is arrested.

Births

• 31 January  - Trevor Manuel, politician.
• 2 February  - Zweli Mkhize, politician, national minister
• 17 April  - Jerry Mofokeng, actor.
• 29 May  - Anant Singh, film producer, and businessman.
• 10 July  - Solomon Mahlangu, Umkhonto we Sizwe operative
• 26 July  - Gordon Igesund, football coach.
• 1 September  - Jeremy Baskin, trade unionist and labour market analyst.
• 30 October  - Nick Mallett, Springboks player & Springboks coach.
• 13 November  - Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, politician, national minister
• 15 December  - Tony Leon, politician.
• 16 December  - Duncan Faure, musician, member of Rabbitt.
• 23 December  - Andre Markgraaff, Springboks coach.

Deaths

• 5 April - Manilal Gandhi, editor, activist, and second son of Mahatma Gandhi, (b. 1892)

Sports

• South Africa at the 1956 Summer Olympics

Notes and References

1. Book: Rita M. Byrnes. South Africa: A Country Study, 3rd addition. 1997. Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. 322.