RugbyRebels

June, 1976, South African police mowed down approximately 170 peaceful demonstrators in Soweto, who had been protesting against the enforced use of Afrikaans in schools, among other issues. This led to several days of rioting during which at least five hundred more black South Africans were killed, bringing the total to somewhere around 700 deaths. Thousands more were incarcerated, some of them long term. Just a year later prominent civil rights activist Stephen Biko was brutally murdered by police while in custody. A qualified doctor, he was just 30 years of age. This event so shocked and outraged the international community that many countries immediately broke off ties with the republic. That same year 25 African countries boycotted the Olympics due to the All Blacks' tour of South Africa. In hindsight, these events spelled the beginning of the end for the Apartheid regime.

This article covers the uprising well but strangely gives completely the wrong year - more than once: http://www.africanews.com/2016/06/16/th ... -16-17-18/

4 years ago on this date 34 miners from Lonmin Platinum were slaughtered by police in what has become known as the Marikana Massacre. It was the largest killings of civilians since the Soweto Uprisings 40 years ago.The miners were striking for US$500. The long-running strike involved 80,000 workers from Lonmin, Anglo Paltinum and Impala Platinum, the three major platinum mining companies in the world.

Also 54 years to the day that an 18 year-old kid got shot up by East German soldiers for trying to escape to West Berlin because he looked at the fact that he was living in East Germany and thought "fuck that noise."

And 66 years to the day that DPRK soldiers murdered 42 POWs on Hill 303.

456 years ago today the Roman Catholic Church was overthrown in Scotland. Unfortunately it was replaced by Protestantism.

And 36 years to the day that a dingo stole a baby.

In 1914 Russian troops invade East Prussia.

And it's Robert De Niro's birthday!

14th August was the 47th anniversary of the tragedy that struck the Blackhall Colliery Veterans Bowls Club, when the coach they were travelling suffered a mechanical failure on a 1 in 6 slope in Crawleyside leaving 20 of the 47 bowlers dead.

Guys, a 'This Day in History Thread' is a great idea, but could we at least confine this one to events that occurred at the southern end of the African continent? Cheers.

Why?

Crikey, seems a bit specific, but OK, here goes.
16th August is the 116th anniversary of the lifting of the siege of Brakfontein Drift garrisoned by 500 Australian, Canadian, and British troops. The siege by around 2,500 Boers lasted 13 days before Kitchener turned up with a relief force of 10,000 troops.

Although a tactical victory for the British Empire, it was a strategic failure, drawing troops away from more important action elsewhere.

Much better. 1949 All Blacks defeated Northern Universities 17-3 at Loftus Versfeld (just four days after losing the second test on their way to an infamous 4-0 series whitewash).

rowan wrote:Guys, a 'This Day in History Thread' is a great idea, but could we at least confine this one to events that occurred at the southern end of the African continent? Cheers.

No.

57 years since the Sharpesville Massacre

RIP Ahmed Kathrada