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What Was Happening When
1980 – Run For Your Life
While out on a cross-country run in unfamiliar territory, two friends stumble upon an illegal drug operation in the woods. Soon taken hostage by the notorious drug-lord, they face the threat of becoming drug slaves themselves. Forced to work the plantation for the man known as “Cobra”, the two friends will have to rely on one another and use their wits if they wish to defeat the armed guards holding them captive.
January
14 – The local community at Soekmekaar resists forced removal and damages the police station.
March
12 – The Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK) together with its sister churches for Blacks (the NGK in Afrika), Coloureds (the NG Sendingkerk) and Indians (the Reformed Church in Africa), issue a statement that the Churches will bring no objection in principle should authorities judge that circumstances justify reconsideration of the Immorality Act and the Mixed Marriages Act.
April
4 – Umkhonto we Sizwe attacks the Booysens Police Station in Johannesburg with grenades, rocket launchers and AK47s.
May
2 – Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall is banned because the government fears that it might be used as a song of liberty by black school children.
June
1 – Bombs explode at Sasol One and Two and Natref Eight at Sasolburg and Secunda, with no injuries and RM58 damage. The attack was organised by Solomon Mahlangu of the Umkhonto weSizwe Special Operations.
August
Special Branch policeman Detective-Sergeant T.G. Zondi is shot at in Sobantu Village.
October
14 – The Soweto community calls for a stayaway to protest against rent increases.
November
21 – A terrorist is killed in Chiawelo and a child is injured by police in the process.
What Was Happening When
1980 – Impango
January
14 – The local community at Soekmekaar resists forced removal and damages the police station.
March
12 – The Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK) together with its sister churches for Blacks (the NGK in Afrika), Coloureds (the NG Sendingkerk) and Indians (the Reformed Church in Africa), issue a statement that the Churches will bring no objection in principle should authorities judge that circumstances justify reconsideration of the Immorality Act and the Mixed Marriages Act.
April
4 – Umkhonto we Sizwe attacks the Booysens Police Station in Johannesburg with grenades, rocket launchers and AK47s.
May
2 – Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall is banned because the government fears that it might be used as a song of liberty by black school children.
June
1 – Bombs explode at Sasol One and Two and Natref Eight at Sasolburg and Secunda, with no injuries and RM58 damage. The attack was organised by Solomon Mahlangu of the Umkhonto weSizwe Special Operations.
August
Special Branch policeman Detective-Sergeant T.G. Zondi is shot at in Sobantu Village.
October
14 – The Soweto community calls for a stayaway to protest against rent increases.
November
21 – A terrorist is killed in Chiawelo and a child is injured by police in the process.
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What Was Happening When
1980 – Hostage
+ Jan 14 The local community at Soekmekaar resists forced removal and damages the police station.
+ Jan 25 Three Umkhonto we Sizwe terrorists, Stephen Mafoko, Humphrey Makhubo and Wilfred Madela, kill two civilians and hold the staff and customers in a bank in Silverton in Pretoria hostage. The siege ends in a shoot-out with the police in which all three terrorists are killed.
+ March 12 In Pretoria nine people are sentenced to five to seven years imprisonment for training as guerrillas outside South Africa and recruiting others to undergo training.
+ March 26 A mine lift cage at the Vaal Reefs gold mine in South Africa falls 1.9 kilometres (1.2 miles), killing 23.
+ April 4 Umkhonto we Sizwe attacks the Booysens Police Station in Johannesburg with grenades, rocket launchers and AK47s.
+ April 21 More than sixty coloured high schools, teacher training colleges and the University of the Western Cape start boycotting classes.
+ Oct 14 The Soweto community calls for a stayaway to protest against rent increases.
+ Oct 15 A bomb damages a railway line in Dube, Soweto and Piet Koornhof, minister of co-operation and development, visits the scene.
+ Nov 21 A terrorist is killed in Chiawelo and a child is injured by police in the process.
What Was Happening When
1980 – Gone Crazy
+ Jan 14 The local community at Soekmekaar resists forced removal and damages the police station.
+ Jan 25 Three Umkhonto we Sizwe terrorists, Stephen Mafoko, Humphrey Makhubo and Wilfred Madela, kill two civilians and hold the staff and customers in a bank in Silverton in Pretoria hostage. The siege ends in a shoot-out with the police in which all three terrorists are killed.
+ March 12 In Pretoria nine people are sentenced to five to seven years imprisonment for training as guerrillas outside South Africa and recruiting others to undergo training.
+ March 26 A mine lift cage at the Vaal Reefs gold mine in South Africa falls 1.9 kilometres (1.2 miles), killing 23.
+ April 4 Umkhonto we Sizwe attacks the Booysens Police Station in Johannesburg with grenades, rocket launchers and AK47s.
+ April 21 More than sixty coloured high schools, teacher training colleges and the University of the Western Cape start boycotting classes.
+ Oct 14 The Soweto community calls for a stayaway to protest against rent increases.
+ Oct 15 A bomb damages a railway line in Dube, Soweto and Piet Koornhof, minister of co-operation and development, visits the scene.
+ Nov 21 A terrorist is killed in Chiawelo and a child is injured by police in the process.
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What Was Happening When
The RetroAfrika “What Was Happening When” series is now in its 7th week! Here’s this week’s instalment – what was happening in South Africa when “Umbango” was produced.
1986 – Umbango
+ 7 Jan A grenade is thrown at a Railways policeman in Soweto.
+ 8 Jan A Pretoria sub-station is damaged by an explosion.
+ 9 Jan A limpet mine explodes at 21h15 and damages a substation in Jacobs, Durban. Later a second limpet explodes, killing a policeman and injuring other policemen and two electrical workers who arrive at the scene.
+ 4 Feb Four South African Army soldiers are injured when a cadre throws a grenade into their military vehicle at Gugulethu.
+ 9 Feb A limpet mine destroys two police vehicles at Umlazi police station near Durban when parked after returning from riot patrol.
+ 21 March Four mines explode at an Escom sub-station in Durban.
+ 8 April The home of the former Labour Party secretary in Natal, Kevin Leaf, is attacked.
+ 12 June The Government declares a nationwide state of emergency.
+ 1 July An explosion outside the Carlton Hotel in Johannesburg injures eight civilians.
+ 15 August Trevor Manuel is detained for the second time, this time only to be released in 1988.
+ 4 November A landmine kills a soldier on horseback in the eastern Transvaal.
+ 19 Dec A grenade attack is executed on the home of a Soweto councillor and two policemen are injured.
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