1968 in South Africa explained

The following lists events that happened during 1968 in South Africa.

Incumbents

• State President:
  • Tom Naudé (acting until 9 April).^[1]
  • Jim Fouché (from 10 April).^[1]
• Prime Minister: John Vorster.
• Chief Justice: Lucas Cornelius Steyn.

Events

January

• 1  - Magnus Malan is appointed as Officer Commanding of the Military Academy in Saldanha.

April

• 10  - Jacobus Johannes Fouché becomes the 3rd State President of South Africa.^[1]
• 20  - A South African Airways Boeing 707 crashes after take-off from Windhoek, killing 122 of the 129 on board.
• 30  - The bill establishing five universities for Blacks comes into force.

Unknown date

• The Liberal Party of South Africa is banned by the government.
• Dorothy Nyembe is arrested for the second time and charged under the Suppression of Communism Act.
• In the Villa Peri campaign, the Azanian People's Liberation Army tries to infiltrate members into South Africa via Botswana and Mozambique.
• The South African Bureau of State Security is formed independently of the South African Police, accountable to the Prime Minister.

Births

• 22 February  - Camilla Waldman, actress
• 29 February  - Suanne Braun, actress
• 5 March  - Lindani Nkosi, actor
• 28 April  - Andy Flower, Zimbabwean cricketer
• 17 May  - Mickey Arthur, cricket player and coach
• 30 June  - Rebecca Malope, gospel singer & TV host
• 4 September  - Daniel Mudau, football player
• 16 September  - Loren Wulfsohn, synchronized swimmer
• 23 September  - Zane Moosa, football player
• 25 December  - Andrew Tucker, football player

Deaths

• 7 January  - J.L.B. Smith, ichthyologist (b. 1897).
• 10 January  - Eben Dönges, politician and elected State President (b. 1898).
• 21 June 21  - Constance Georgina Tardrew, South African botanist (b. 1883).^[2]

Railways

Locomotives

• In July, the South African Railways places the first of 115 Class 33-400 General Electric type U20C diesel-electric locomotives in service in South West Africa.^[3]

Sports

• 17 September  - The Marylebone Cricket Club tour of South Africa is cancelled when South Africa refuses to accept the presence of Basil D'Oliveira in the side.

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. Book: Rall, Maureen . Petticoat Pioneers : The History of the Pioneer Women who Lived on the Diamond Fields in the Early Years. Kimberley, South Africa . Kimberley Africana Library . 2002 . 117 . 978-0-62027-613-9.
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