1989 – Treasure Hunters

After hearing a tale of a mysterious lost treasure, an old man’s family heads off on a perilous journey only to suffer the same fate as the shipwrecked survivors from sixty years ago.

+ Jan 8 The African National Congress announces that it will start dismantling its guerrilla camps in Angola in support of the peace process.

+ Jan 18 State President of South Africa P.W. Botha has a mild stroke.

+ Feb 2 An ailing State President Pieter Willem Botha steps down from the leadership of the National Party, but remains state president.

+ Feb 2 Trevor Manuel is released from detention under stringent restriction orders.

+ March 15–21 A conference of African National Congress chief representatives and regional treasurers takes place in Gran, Norway.

+ Date Unknown An explosion occurs outside the Natal Command HQ on Durban‘s beachfront.

+ May 5 Three South African Embassy staff are ordered to leave Britain within 7 days because of the attempted smuggling of a Blowpipe missile.

+ May 17 Tumelo Faith Sindane is born at Zebediela.

+ July 5 PW Botha, State President of South Africa, and Nelson Mandela, in prison at the time, meet for the first time.

+ August 10 The Cabinet prevails on P.W. Botha to resign as state president and FW de Klerk becomes acting State President of South Africa.

+ Date Unknown A grenade is thrown into a Labour Party polling station in Bishop Lavis.

+ September 12 Anton Lubowski, advocate and secretary-general of the South West Africa People’s Organization, is shot dead outside his home in Windhoek, South West Africa.

+ November 27 The Hex River Tunnels system is officially opened. The system’s longest tunnel is 13.5 kilometres (8.4 miles) long, the longest railway tunnel in Africa.