This is a list of events that occurred in 1950 in South Africa.

Incumbents

Governor-General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...

and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: Gideon Brand van Zyl. * Prime Minister: Daniel François Malan. * Chief Justice:

Ernest Frederick Watermeyer Ernest Frederick Watermeyer, PC, QC (12 October 1880 – 18 January 1958), was the Chief Justice of South Africa from 1943 to 1950. Watermeyer was born in Graaff-Reinet in 1880. He was educated at Stellenbosch Gymnasium, Bath College and Go ...

then Albert van der Sandt Centlivres.

Events

;March * 18 – The University of the Free State is established. ;April * 27 – The Group Areas Act is passed, formally segregating the races. ;May * 1 – 18 blacks are killed by police and more than 30 are injured on the Witwatersrand in a massive stay-away from work, called for by the African National Congress. * 1 –

Springbok Radio Springbok Radio (spelled ''Springbokradio'' in Afrikaans, ) was a South African nationwide radio station that operated from 1950 to 1986. History SABC's decision in December 1945 to develop a commercial service was constrained by post-war financia ...

, the SABC's first commercial service, is launched. ;June * 26 – The

Suppression of Communism Act The Suppression of Communism Act, 1950 (Act No. 44 of 1950), renamed the Internal Security Act in 1976, was legislation of the national government in apartheid South Africa which formally banned the Communist Party of South Africa and proscribed ...

is passed. ;August * 5 –

2 Squadron SAAF 2 Squadron is a squadron in the South African Air Force which was formed in 1940. The squadron has a long history, having been involved in every single combat action in which the SAAF has taken part. During the Second World War it made a name for ...

departs for the Korean War. * 6 – The municipality of

East London East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the f ...

decides not to approve prospecting for oil off the city's seafront. ;September * 26 – Sasol (Suid-Afrikaanse Steenkool, Olie en Gaskorporasie Bpk.) is registered as a company. ;October * 23 – Ernest George Jansen is appointed the 9th Governor-General of the Union of South Africa. ;November * 2 –

South African Airways South African Airways (SAA) is the flag carrier airline of South Africa. Founded in 1934, the airline is headquartered in Airways Park at O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and operated a hub-and-spoke network, serving ten destin ...

inaugurates daily services between Johannesburg and Bulawayo and between Johannesburg and Cape Town. ;December * 13 – South Africa refuses to place South-West Africa under UN trusteeship. * 21 – The gold town of Allanridge in the Free State Province is established. ;Unknown date *

Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve Oribi Gorge is a canyon in southern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 35 kilometres north-west of Port Shepstone, which itself is 120 km south of Durban. Oribi Gorge, cut by the Mzimkulwana River, is the eastern gorge of two gorges that cut ...

is proclaimed a protected state forest. * Hendrik Verwoerd becomes Minister of Native Affairs. * The government passes the Immorality Amendment Act, the Group Areas Act, the

, and the

Population Registration Act The Population Registration Act of 1950 required that each inhabitant of South Africa be classified and registered in accordance with their racial characteristics as part of the system of apartheid. Social rights, political rights, educational ...

which officially divides South Africans into 'White', 'Coloured', 'Asian' or 'Native' population groups. * The United States and United Kingdom sign a purchasing agreement with South Africa to supply uranium for their

nuclear Nuclear may refer to: Physics Relating to the nucleus of the atom: *Nuclear engineering *Nuclear physics *Nuclear power *Nuclear reactor *Nuclear weapon *Nuclear medicine *Radiation therapy *Nuclear warfare Mathematics *Nuclear space * Nuclear ...

weapons programmes. * The

Parliament of South Africa The Parliament of the Republic of South Africa is South Africa's legislature; under the present Constitution of South Africa, the bicameral Parliament comprises a National Assembly and a National Council of Provinces. The current twenty-seve ...

passes the

Privy Council Appeals Act, 1950 Privy is an old-fashioned term for an outdoor toilet, often known as an outhouse and by many other names. Privy may also refer to: * Privy council, a body that advises the head of state * Privy mark, a small mark in the design of a coin * Privy Pu ...

(Act No. 16) to terminate appeals from the Appellate Division of the

Supreme Court of South Africa The Supreme Court of South Africa was a superior court of law in South Africa from 1910 to 1997. It was made up of various provincial and local divisions with jurisdiction over specific geographical areas, and an Appellate Division which was t ...

to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London.

Births

* 29 January – Jody Scheckter, 1979 Formula One World Drivers' Champion. * 1 June – Johann Rupert, billionaire businessman, son of billionaire Remembrandt Group founder Anton Rupert. * 18 August –

Nandi Nyembe Nandi Nyembe (born 19 August 1950) is a South African actress known for her roles in the sports drama Zone 14, and Soul City. Early life Nyembe was born in Kliptown, Johannesburg, in August 1950. She also stayed in various places, like Botswan ...

, actress.

Deaths

* 11 September – Jan Smuts, soldier and international statesman. (b. 1870)

Railways

Railway lines opened

* 2 October – Transvaal: Vandyksdrif to Broodsnyersplaas, .''Statement Showing, in Chronological Order, the Date of Opening and the Mileage of Each Section of Railway'', Statement No. 19, p. 191, ref. no. 200954-13

Sports

Boxing

* 31 May –

Vic Toweel Victor "Vic" Anthony Toweel (12 January 1928 – 15 August 2008) was a South African boxer and former undisputed World bantamweight champion. He was the first South African to hold a world title. Personal Victor Anthony Toweel was born on 1 ...

defeats

World Bantamweight Champion This is a list of world bantamweight boxing champions, as recognized by the four major sanctioning organizations in boxing: * The World Boxing Association (WBA), established in 1921 as the National Boxing Association (NBA). The WBA often recognize ...

Manuel Ortiz on points over 15 rounds at Wembley Stadium and becomes the first South African world boxing champion.

British Empire Games

The

British Empire Games The Commonwealth Games, often referred to as the Friendly Games or simply the Comm Games, are a quadrennial international multi-sport event among athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930, and, with the exce ...

(now the Commonwealth Games), after a 12-year gap, takes place in Auckland, New Zealand from 4 to 11 February. Of the 12 participating countries which include Southern Rhodesia, South Africa finishes 5th on the medals list, winning 20 medals, 8 Gold, 4 Silver and 8 Bronze. The medal winners are: ;Athletics *

Neville Price Neville Price (''Neville Graham Price;'' 1 June 1929 in East London – 28 December 1980) was a South African long jumper who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics and in the 1956 Summer Olympics The 1956 Summer Olympics, officially known ...

– Gold, long jump, distance 7.31 m * Syd Luyt – Silver, marathon, time 2.37.03 * Tom Lavery – Bronze, 120 yards hurdles, time 14.6 s * Daphne Robb ; Bronze, 220 yards, time 24.7 s ;Boxing *

Johnny van Rensburg Johnny "Smiler" van Rensburg (9 May 1932 – 28 October 2010 (aged 78)) born in Lichtenburg was a South African amateur bantamweight and professional light/ light welter/ welter/ middleweight boxer of the 1950s and '60s who as an amateur won ...

– Gold, bantamweight *

Theunis van Schalkwyk Theunis Jacobus van Schalkwyk (14 September 1929 – 27 August 2005) was a boxer from South Africa, silver medalist at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki.Wally Hayward Wallace Henry Hayward BEM (10 July 1908 – 28 April 2006) was a South African endurance athlete with a 60-year career. He became one of the greatest 100-mile runners in history. He won the Comrades Marathon five times and completed ...

, at age 42 and after a twenty-year gap, wins the Comrades Marathon from Durban to

Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg (; Zulu: umGungundlovu) is the capital and second-largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838 and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its Zulu name umGungundlovu ...

in a time of 6h 46m 25s. Twenty runners of the 29 who start finish in the allotted time.

Football

;June–July The Australia national association football team tours South Africa and plays four games against the

South Africa national football team The South Africa national soccer team represents South Africa in men's international Association football, soccer and it is run by the South African Football Association, the governing body for Soccer in South Africa. The team's nickname is Baf ...

. * 24 June – South Africa wins 3–2 at Kingsmead, Durban. * 1 July – South Africa wins 2–1 at Ellis Park, Johannesburg. * 8 July – Australia wins 2–1 at St George's Park, Port Elizabeth. * 23 July – Australia wins 2–0 at

Hartley Vale Hartley Vale is a small village in the Blue Mountains area of New South Wales, Australia. It is approximately 150 kilometres west of Sydney and 12 kilometres south-east of Lithgow. It is in the local government area of the City of Lithgow. De ...

, Cape Town.

References

{{Africa topic, 1950 in, state=collapsed History of South Africa