1956 in South Africa
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The following lists events that happened during 1956 in South Africa.
Incumbents[edit]
- 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[edit]
- 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[edit]
- 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[edit]
- 5 April - Manilal Gandhi, editor, activist, and second son of Mahatma Gandhi, (b. 1892)
Sports[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Rita M. Byrnes, ed. (1997). South Africa: A Country Study, 3rd addition. Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. p. 322.
