1960 in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 1960 in South Africa.

← 1959 1958 1957 1960 in South Africa → 1961 1962 1963
Decades:	1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s
See also:	1960 in South African sport List of years in South Africa

Incumbents

• Monarch: Queen Elizabeth II
• Governor-General: Charles Robberts Swart (from 12 January).^[1]
• Prime Minister: Hendrik Verwoerd.
• Chief Justice: Lucas Cornelius Steyn.

Events

January

• 21 – 435 miners die in the Coalbrook mining disaster, the worst mine disaster in South Africa.

February

• 3 – Harold Macmillan delivers his Wind of Change speech to the Parliament of South Africa in Cape Town.

March

• 21 – Police kill an estimated 69 people during the Sharpeville massacre.^[2]
• 22 – Hendrik Verwoerd tells Parliament that the Anti-Pass Resistance in Sharpeville, Gauteng was not targeted against the government.
• 23 – Robert Sobukwe, leader of the Pan Africanist Congress, Albert Lutuli and 11 others are arrested for incitement of riots.
• 24 – All public meetings of more than 12 people are banned.
• 30 – The government declares a State of Emergency.

April

• 8 – The government bans the African National Congress and the Pan Africanist Congress with the coming into effect of the Unlawful Organisations Act.^[2]
• 9 – David Pratt shoots and wounds Hendrik Verwoerd, the Prime Minister of South Africa, (in revenge for the Sharpeville massacre) while he opens the Rand Easter Show at Milner Park, Johannesburg.
• 19 – The South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) is founded in Windhoek, South West Africa.

May

• 4 – Robert Sobukwe, President of the Pan Africanist Congress, is sentenced to 3 years imprisonment for incitement of black Africans to urge the repeal of pass laws.
• 6 – Umhlobo Wenene FM is founded.

July

• 15 – The first Boeing 707 arrives in South Africa.^[3]

October

• 5 – The white population votes in a referendum to sever South Africa's last links with the British monarchy and become a republic.^[4]

November

• 14 – Serial Killer "Pangaman" Elias Xitavhudzi is hanged for the murders of 16 white men and women in Atteridgeville in the 1950s.

Births

• 12 March – Sello Maake Ka-Ncube, actor
• 14 April – Pat Symcox, cricketer
• 8 June – Frank Opperman, actor
• 24 June – Carel du Plessis, rugby player
• 16 July – PJ Powers, musician
• 24 August – Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, politician
• 25 August – David Mabuza, Deputy President of South Africa (d. 2025)
• 13 September – Kevin Carter, photojournalist (d. 1994)
• 18 October – Mark Mathabane, author, lecturer and college professor

Deaths

• 13 June – Ken McArthur, athlete. (b. 1881)

Railways

Sports