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

Incumbents

State President The State President of the Republic of South Africa ( af, Staatspresident) was the head of state of South Africa from 1961 to 1994. The office was established when the country became a republic on 31 May 1961, albeit, outside the Commonweal ...

: **

Tom Naudé Jozua François "Tom" Naudé (15 April 1889, Middelburg, Cape Colony – 31 May 1969 Cape Town) served as acting state president of South Africa from 1967 to 1968. A National Party politician for many years, he served as Minister of Posts and ...

(acting until 9 April).Archontology.org: A Guide for Study of Historical Offices: South Africa: Heads of State: 1961-1994
(Accessed on 14 April 2017) **

Jim Fouché Jacobus Johannes "Jim" Fouché, (6 June 1898 – 23 September 1980Jacobus Johannes Fouch� ...

(from 10 April). *

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

: John Vorster. * Chief Justice:

Lucas Cornelius Steyn Lucas Cornelius Steyn, PC, QC (21 December 1903 – 28 July 1976) was Chief Justice of South Africa and, as such, acted as Governor-General on two occasions. Early life Steyn was born in 1903 on a farm in the Orange River Colony, shortly af ...

Events

;January * 1 – Magnus Malan is appointed as Officer Commanding of the Military Academy in Saldanha. ;April * 10 –

Jacobus Johannes Fouché A Jacobus is an English gold coin of the reign of James I, worth 25 shillings. The name of the coin comes from the Latin inscription surrounding the King's head on the obverse of the coin, IACOBUS D G MAG BRIT FRA ET HI REX ("James, by the grace o ...

becomes the 3rd

State President of South Africa The State President of the Republic of South Africa ( af, Staatspresident) was the head of state of South Africa from 1961 to 1994. The office was established when the country became a republic on 31 May 1961, albeit, outside the Commonweal ...

. * 20 – A

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 ...

Boeing 707 The Boeing 707 is an American, long-range, narrow-body airliner, the first jetliner developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype first flown in 1954, the initial first flew on December 20, ...

crashes after take-off from

Windhoek Windhoek (, , ) is the capital and largest city of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level, almost exactly at the country's geographical centre. The population of Windhoek in 20 ...

, 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 Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label=Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahar ...

and

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

. * 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 Camilla Waldman (born 22 February 1968) is a South African actress, best known for her role as Anne de Villiers, the Madam of a high-class brothel, on the SABC1 soapie '' Generations'', from March 2004 to June 2008. Career Waldman completed a BA ...

, actress * 29 February –

Suanne Braun Suanne Braun (born 29 February 1968) is a South African born actress. She lives in London, England. Early life Braun made her professional debut in 1988 working as a TV presenter in her native South Africa for the channel M-net. She hosted he ...

, actress * 5 March –

Lindani Nkosi Lindani Nkosi (born 5 March 1968) is a South African actor. He is known for portraying Lincoln Sibeko in the soap opera ''Isidingo''. He also portrayed Nelson Mandela in the 2004 film ''Drum''. Select filmography *''Drum'' (2004) *''A Small To ...

, actor * 28 April – Andy Flower, Zimbabwean cricketer * 17 May –

Mickey Arthur John Michael Arthur (born 17 May 1968) is a South African-Australian cricket coach, commentator and former cricketer, who played in South African domestic cricket from 1986 to 2001. He has served as the head coach of the Derbyshire County Crick ...

, cricket player and coach * 30 June –

Rebecca Malope } Batsogile Lovederia "Rebecca" Malope (born June 30, 1968) is a South African gospel singer. She is known as "The Queen of Gospel." Her music career spans more than three decades. She has sold at least 10 million albums worldwide, making her o ...

, gospel singer & TV host * 4 September –

Daniel Mudau Daniel Mudau (born 4 September 1968) is a South African former footballer who played at both professional and international levels as a striker. Early life Daniel Mbulaheni Mudau was born on 4 September 1968 in Mamelodi. Career Mudau played ...

, football player * 16 September –

Loren Wulfsohn Loren Wulfsohn (born 16 September 1968) is a former synchronized swimmer from South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by ...

, synchronized swimmer * 23 September – Zane Moosa, football player * 25 December – Andrew Tucker, football player

Deaths

* 7 January –

J.L.B. Smith James Leonard Brierley Smith (26 September 1897 – 8 January 1968) was a South African ichthyologist, organic chemist, and university professor. He was the first to identify a taxidermied fish as a coelacanth, at the time thought to be long e ...

, ichthyologist (b. 1897). * 10 January –

Eben Dönges Theophilus Ebenhaezer Dönges (8 March 1898 – 10 January 1968) was a South African politician who was elected the state president of South Africa, but died before he could take office, aged 69. Early life Eben Donges was born on 8 March 189 ...

, politician and elected State President (b. 1898). * 21 June 21 – Constance Georgina Tardrew, South African botanist (b. 1883).

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.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

Sports

* 17 September – The

Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John's Wood, London. The club was formerly the governing body of cricket retaining considerable global influence ...

tour of South Africa is cancelled when South Africa refuses to accept the presence of Basil D'Oliveira in the side.

References

{{Africa topic, 1968 in, state=collapsed

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

Years in South Africa History of South Africa