1964 in South Africa explained

The following lists events that happened during 1964 in South Africa.

Incumbents

• State President: Charles Robberts Swart.^[1]
• Prime Minister: Hendrik Verwoerd.
• Chief Justice: Lucas Cornelius Steyn.

Events

January

• 31  - The University of Port Elizabeth is established.

February

• South Africa is suspended from the International Labour Organization.

March

• 11  - South Africa withdraws from the International Labour Organization.

June

• 5  - South Africa is expelled from the Universal Postal Union in Vienna.
• 12  - In the Rivonia Trial, Nelson Mandela's original 5-year sentence is extended to life sentence for high treason together with Denis Goldberg, Ahmed Kathrada, Govan Mbeki, Raymond Mhlaba, Andrew Mlangeni, Elias Motsoaledi and Walter Sisulu.

July

• 17  - Nelson Mandela is awarded the Joliot Curie Gold Medal for Peace.^[2]
• 24  - John Harris, a schoolteacher, explodes a bomb at Park Station, killing 77-year-old Ethel Rhys and injuring 23 others.

August

• 18  - The International Olympic Committee bans South Africa from the Tokyo Olympics on the grounds that its teams are racially segregated.

November

• 6  - Vuyisile Mini is being hanged due to death penalty for treason together with Wilson Khayinga and Zinakile Mkaba.

Unknown date

• The African National Congress establishes offices in Dar-es-Salaam.
• The Mahotella Queens are formed by producer Rupert Bopape in the Johannesburg studios of Gallo Record Company.
• The Munitions Production Board is formed in order to develop South African self-sufficiency in the manufacturing of arms.
• Neville Alexander is imprisoned on Robben Island.

November

• The Little Rivonia Trial begins.

December

• In the Little Rivonia Trial, sentence was introduced for another treason:
  Wilton Mkwayi received life sentence; Dave Kitson twenty years; Laloo Chiba eighteen years; John Matthews fifteen years and Mac Maharaj twelve years.

Births

• 13 January  - Laurette Maritz, golfer
• 21 January  - Mark Gleeson (journalist), soccer commentator & journalist
• 24 February  - Wendy Oldfield, singer
• 18 March  - Yvonne Chaka Chaka, singer & businesswoman
• 5 April  - Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, King of the abaThembu
• 15 April  - André Joubert, rugby player
• 13 April  - Colleen De Reuck, long-distance runner
• 16 May  - Kobus Wiese, former rugby player & tv personality
• 18 May  - Balie Swart, rugby player
• 10 June  - Keketso Semoko, actress and producer
• 11 July  - Gavin Hunt, football coach
• 20 July  - Deon Lotz, actor
• 26 July  - Pitso Mosimane, former football player & coach
• 3 August  - Lucky Dube, reggae musician (d. 2007)
• 19 August  - Hector Pieterson, schoolboy who was shot and killed in Soweto uprising (d. 1976)
• 4 September  - Menzi Ngubane, actor (d. 2021)
• 1 October  - Roger De Sa, former football player & coach
• 5 October  - Masoja Msiza, actor and poet
• 3 November  - Brenda Fassie, singer (d. 2004)
• 12 December  - Ringo Madlingozi, musician

Deaths

• 7 June  - Charlie Llewellyn, first non-white South African test cricketer. (b. 1876)
• 6 November  - Vuyisile Mini, South African anti-apartheid activist. (b. 1920)

Railways

Locomotives

• The South African Railways places the first of one hundred Class 5E1, Series 3 electric locomotives in mainline service, built by Union Carriage & Wagon in Nigel, Transvaal.^[3]

Sports

• Papwa Sewgolum, an Indian golfer, wins the Dutch Open tournament for the third time.

Notes and References

1. http://www.archontology.org/nations/south_africa/sa_pres1/ Archontology.org: A Guide for Study of Historical Offices: South Africa: Heads of State: 1961-1994
2. Web site: This day in history: 17 July 1964 . https://archive.today/20120909151850/http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/chronology/thisday/1964-07-17.htm . dead . 9 September 2012 . South African History Online . 20 July 2010 .
3. South African Railways Index and Diagrams Electric and Diesel Locomotives, 610mm and 1065mm Gauges, Ref LXD 14/1/100/20, 28 January 1975, as amended