2020 in South Africa

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Events in the year 2020 in South Africa.

Incumbents
See also: Politics in South Africa, National Council of Provinces, and National Assembly of South Africa

Cabinet

The Cabinet, together with the President and the Deputy President, forms the Executive.

Main article: Second Cabinet of Cyril Ramaphosa
Main article: Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (South Africa)

National Assembly and National Council of Provinces
Main article: 27th South African Parliament

Provincial Premiers
See also: Premier (South Africa)

Events

January to March
  • 3 February – A court issues an arrest warrant for former president Jacob Zuma on corruption charges. Zuma, 77, is presumed to be in Cuba for medical treatment, but it is unclear when or if he will return to South Africa since the two countries have not signed an extradition treaty. The case will resume on May 6.[1]
  • 5 February – German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives in South Africa to discuss trade, investment, and energy issues.[2]
  • 11 February – Former U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden says he and then U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young were arrested in Soweto when they tried to visit Nelson Mandela on Robben Island in 1977.[3] Young says he was not arrested in South Africa and doubts Biden was.[4]
  • 19 February – Speaking from Addis Ababa, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asserts that land distribution without compensation would be disastrous for South Africa and its people.[5]
  • 21 February – Sixteen children in Zola, Soweto, are hospitalized for eating expired sweets. 39 pupils were hospitalized earlier in the week.[6]
  • 5 March - The COVID-19 pandemic spread to South Africa, with the first confirmed case announced on 5 March 2020 by Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize.[7]
  • 15 March – President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation and announced that there shouldn't be any gathering which is more than 100 people until further notice to avoid the spreading of COVID-19 pandemic.
  • 21 March – Human Rights Day in South Africa
  • 23 March – President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation and announced a 21-day national lockdown effective from midnight 26 March through to 16 April,[8] with the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and South African Police Service (SAPS) to support the government.[8]
  • 27 March – The first person was confirmed to die of COVID19 case, announced on 27 March 2020 by Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize.

April to June
  • 9 April – the President announced a two-week lockdown extension, until the end of April.[9]
  • 18 April – President Cyril Ramaphosa announces that lockdown restrictions will be gradually eased. Mines can resume work at 50% capacity and the economy is expected to contract by 6.1% this year.[10]
  • 19 April – South African Airways plans to fire all 4,700 employees at the end of April after failing to get any more government subsidies.[11]
  • 23 April – President Ramaphosa's efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic receive praise. South Africa has confirmed 3,953 cases and 75 deaths so far. The government has earmarked 500 billion rand ($26.16 billion), or 10% of national output, to fight the virus, keep businesses afloat and prevent the poor—who make up half the population—from going hungry.[12] South Africa has tested 140,000 people, with nearly 4,000 positive cases and 75 deaths.[13]
  • 26 April
    • Cuba sends 200 doctors to South Africa.[14]
    • Police Minister Bheki Cele apologised for a "blasphemous" remark made to praying Muslims by a policeman enforcing coronavirus rules. Twenty-four people were arrested in the incident.[15]
  • 27 April – Freedom Day
  • 1 May
    • International Workers' Day
    • South Africa now enters Level 4 of the national lockdown to ensure the economy can gradually reopen with some easing of other restrictions.[16]
  • 12 June – Femicide is described as a second pandemic as more than 20 women and children are murdered in a matter of weeks.[17]
  • 25 May – Africa Day
  • 16 June – Youth Day

July to September
  • 1 July – COVID-19 pandemic: 159,333 confirmed cases and 2,749 deaths. The worst affected area is Western Cape.[18]
  • 6 July – COVID-19 pandemic: Thousands of students from grades 7 to 12 return to classes after schools were closed for four months due to the coronavirus.[19]
  • 11 July – COVID-19 pandemic: Confirmed cases doubled in two weeks to 250,000 with 3,800 deaths. Public hospitals are short on medical oxygen.[20]
  • 12 July – Four people are killed, six injured, and forty arrested in a hostage situation at the International Pentecostal Holiness Church headquarters in Zuurbekom near Johannesburg.[21]
  • 13 July – COVID-19 pandemic: A 9pm to 6pm curfew and a ban on sales of alcohol are reinstituted. Family and social visits remain banned.[22]
  • 22 July - South Africa's oldest pub, The Perseverance Tavern, closes due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
  • 23 July – More than 17,000 excess deaths from May 6 to July 14 were reported, as compared to data from the past two years, while confirmed COVID-19 deaths have surpassed 6,000. The South African Medical Research Council said the excess deaths could be related to COVID-19, HIV/AIDS, or tuberculosis, although many doctors suspect coronavirus. South Africa now has the world’s fifth largest caseload with 408,052 confirmed cases.[23]

Scheduled events

Sports
See also: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports

Television
Further information: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on television

Deaths
Denis Goldberg
Zindzi Mandela

January to March

April to June

July to September

See also

Country overviews

References
  1. South African court issues arrest warrant for ex-leader Zuma By CARA ANNA and MOGOMOTSI MAGOME Associated Press, ABC News, 4 Feb 2020
  2. Germany's Merkel arriving in South Africa to talk trade By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME, Associated Press/ABC News, 5 Feb 2020
  3. Joe Biden Says He Was Arrested In South Africa Decades Ago By Sarah Ruiz-Grossman, Huff Post Politics, 21 Feb 2020
  4. US politician Joe Biden recalls being arrested in SA for trying to see Nelson Mandela Cheryl Kahla, The South African, 2020-02-22
  5. Elias Meseret (February 19, 2020). "Pompeo says South Africa land seizures would be 'disastrous'". AP.
  6. More Soweto learners hospitalized after eating dodgy sweets James Richardson, The South African, 2020-02-22
  7. Coronavirus: Here’s how to track the spread of the disease Cheryl Kahla, The South African, 2020-03-05
  8. "Ramaphosa announces 21 day coronavirus lockdown for South Africa". businesstech.co.za. 23 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  9. "South African lockdown extended – 2 more weeks". MyBroadband. 9 April 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  10. "South Africa to Gradually Ease Regulations After Lockdown". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved Apr 19, 2020.
  11. "South African Airways Nears Collapse With Plan to Fire All Staff". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved Apr 19, 2020.
  12. "South Africa's COVID-19 crisis strengthens Ramaphosa's economic reform hand". Reuters. 23 April 2020. Retrieved Apr 23, 2020.
  13. News, A. B. C. "Africa's 43% jump in virus cases in 1 week worries experts". ABC News. Retrieved Apr 24, 2020.
  14. "Coronavirus: Cuban doctors go to South Africa". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved Apr 26, 2020.
  15. "SAfrica minister apologises for police officer's anti-Muslim rant". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved Apr 26, 2020.
  16. These fast food outlets will be delivering during Level 4 lockdown Cheryl Kahla, The South African, 2020-04-30
  17. CNN, Bukola Adebayo. "South Africa has the continent's highest Covid-19 cases. Now it has another pandemic on its hands". CNN. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  18. "Coronavirus in South Africa: Deciding who lives and dies in a Cape Town township". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  19. News, A. B. C. "Zimbabwe nurses protest; South Africa reopens some classes". ABC News. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  20. "Coronavirus Cases Spike in South Africa and India, Exposing Inequalities in Virus Treatment". Time. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
  21. Gearty, Robert (11 July 2020). "5 dead in hostage situation at South Africa church; 40 arrested". Fox News. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
  22. "South Africa reimposes alcohol ban, curfew as coronavirus cases spike". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  23. "South Africa's excess deaths surge as virus like 'wildfire'". AP NEWS. 23 July 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  24. "Experimental three-team format to kick off South Africa's return to cricket | ESPNcricinfo.com". www.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  25. "Live blog - Cricket returns to South Africa with 3TeamCricket | ESPNcricinfo.com". www.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  26. "South African Business Mogul Richard Maponya Dies At 99". iharare.com. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  27. "SA's first black world boxing champion Peter Mathebula has died". dispatchlive.co.za. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  28. "Former U'hage mayor Bicks Ndoni dies". news24.com. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  29. Santu Mofokeng, Photographer Who Elegantly Immortalized Lives of Black South Africans, Is Dead at 64
  30. Umkhonto we Sizwe's first explosives whizz Harold Strachan dies
  31. Joseph Shabalala, Ladysmith Black Mambazo founder dies at 78 CNN World, 11 Feb 2020
  32. Zoe Gail, singer who switched on the lights in Piccadilly after the wartime blackout – obituary (subscription required)
  33. Maritzburg-born playwright and actor dies suddenly
  34. Sol Kerzner dies after struggle with cancer
  35. Credo Mutwa passes on at 98 years old
  36. JUST IN: Renowned SA scientist Gita Ramjee dies of complications due to Covid-19
  37. General Constand Viljoen, former SADF commander and political leader, dies at 86
  38. Last surviving member of notorious Stander Gang dies
  39. ANC Stalwart Denis Goldberg Passes Away at 87
  40. Football legend 'Sugar Ray' Xulu dies aged 81
  41. Ewie Cronje dies aged 80
  42. Tributes pour in for Council of Medical Schemes chair Dr Clarence Mini who died of Covid-19
  43. Stellenbosch University mourns death of professor after surgery
  44. Jeanne Goosen sterf op 81 (in Afrikaans)
  45. SA dancer and choreographer Kirvan Fortuin stabbed to death allegedly by 14-year-old girl
  46. Iconic SA author Elsa Joubert, 97, dies of Covid-19
  47. "Professor Nigel Weiss (1936-2020) - Clare College News". cweb1.clare.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  48. "Walkabout: No fanfare for David Lewis, an uncommon man". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  49. "Tributes pour in as veteran actress Mary Twala, Somizi's mother dies". The Citizen. 4 July 2020.
  50. North West Cogta MEC Gordon Kegakilwe dies after testing positive for Covid-19
  51. Bishop Zithulele Patrick Mvemve
  52. Western Cape municipal mayor dies from Covid-19
  53. "ANC KZN spokesperson Ricardo Mthembu dies of Covid-19". IOL. 8 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  54. Dayimani, Malibongwe; Ngqakamba, Ngqakamba. "AmaRharhabe Kingdom Queen Noloyiso Sandile dies of Covid-19". News24. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  55. Passionate football journo Louis Mazibuko rests his pen forever
  56. Local artists pay tribute to Patricia Majalisa
  57. Former Springbok wing dies of Covid-19 complications
  58. 'A life dedicated to freedom' - ANC pays tribute to late stalwart Tom Manthata
  59. Buffalo City Council Speaker Alfred Mitsi dies of COVID-19 complications
  60. News, A. B. C. "Zindzi Mandela, daughter of Nelson and Winnie, dies at 59". ABC News. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  61. Renowned SA actress Elize Cawood dies
  62. Apartheid-era South African spinner Ismail 'Baboo' Ebrahim dies at 73
  63. ANC MP Martha Mmola dies due to Covid-19 related illness
  64. News, A. B. C. "South African anti-apartheid icon Andrew Mlangeni dies at 95". ABC News. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  65. Anti-apartheid stalwart Andrew Mlangeni has died
  66. Actress Candy Moloi has died
  67. Diana Russell
  68. ANC MP Zamuxolo Peter died after testing positive for Covid-19
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