Historical Events:
• 1828: Shaka, Zulu chief and founder of the Zulu empire, is murdered by his two half-brothers Dingane and Mhlangana. Dingane assumes the throne.
• 1913: Coal mine explosion kills 263 at Dawson New Mexico.
• 1998: Troops from SA and Botswana cross into Lesotho and storm the royal palace.
• 2011: CERN scientists announce their discovery of neutrinos breaking the speed of light.
Arts, Music, TV:
• 1922: Douglas Portway, SA born artist who left SA and has since resided in several European countries, is born in Johannesburg.
• 1952: Andries Johannes Botha, SA sculptor, is born in Durban, Natal.
• 1985: Diederik Johannes Opperman, Afrikaans poet, dramatist, litterateur, and professor of the University of Stellenbosch, dies in Stellenbosch.
• 1997: Elton John releases Diana tribute "Candle in the Wind 1997".
Sports:
• 1950: Peter Whipp, SA rugby player, is born.
• 1953: William Henry Brann (54), SA cricket player in three tests, 1922 /1923, dies in Port Elizabeth.
• 1990: Dingaan Thobela, lightweight of SA, wins the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) title.
• 2004: Teboho Mokgalagadi, with his hair dyed golden, wins a Paralympic world record gold medal 100m sprints in his first international competition at the Olympic Stadium in Athens. His gold, together with the discus gold won by Lombaard for one-leg amputees, brings the SA gold-medal tally to seven, with three silver and one bronze.
Source: historyorb.com & sahistory.org.com
Compiled by: Thandi Xaba
