2025 in South Africa
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Events in the year 2025 in South Africa.
Incumbents
[edit]- President: Cyril Ramaphosa (ANC)
- Deputy President: Paul Mashatile (ANC)
- Chief Justice: Mandisa Maya
- Deputy Chief Justice: Mbuyiseli Madlanga
- President of the Supreme Court of Appeal: Mahube Molemela
- Deputy President of the Supreme Court of Appeal: Dumisani Zondi
- Chairperson of the Electoral Court of South Africa: DH Zondi
- Speaker of the National Assembly: Thoko Didiza (ANC)
- Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly: Annelie Lotriet (DA)
- Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly: John Hlophe (uMkhonto weSizwe)
- Leader of Government Business: David Mabuza (ANC)
- Government Chief Whip (of the National Assembly): Pemmy Majodina (ANC)
- Opposition Chief Whip (of the National Assembly): Siviwe Gwarube (DA)
- Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces: Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane (ANC)
- Deputy Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces: Sylvia Lucas (ANC)
- Leader of the Opposition of the National Council of Provinces: Cathlene Labuschagne (DA)
- Chief Whip of the National Council of Provinces: Seiso Mohai (ANC)
The Cabinet, together with the President and the Deputy President, forms the Executive.
- Eastern Cape Province: Oscar Mabuyane (ANC)
- Free State Province: Mxolisi Dukwana (ANC)
- Gauteng Province: Panyaza Lesufi (ANC)
- KwaZulu-Natal Province: Thami Ntuli
- Limpopo Province: Phophi Ramathuba
- Mpumalanga Province: Mandla Ndlovu
- North West Province: Lazarus Mokgosi
- Northern Cape Province: Zamani Saul (ANC)
- Western Cape Province: Alan Winde (DA)
Events
[edit]January
[edit]- 6 January – A truck crashes into a minibus and another vehicle on Van Reenen's Pass in KwaZulu-Natal, killing 18 people and seriously injuring an infant.[1]
- 9 January – One person is killed in a rockfall at the Blyvoor Gold mine near Carletonville.[2]
- 15 January – At least 78 miners are confirmed dead and 246 others are rescued following the end of protracted rescue efforts at the closed Buffelsfontein mine in North West Province that began in July 2024.[3]
- 19 January – A bus crashes into a concrete centre barrier along the N2 highway between Nanaga and Makhanda in Eastern Cape, killing five people and injuring six others.[4]
- 27 January – A fire at the Booysens slum in Johannesburg destroys 1,500 homes and displaces hundreds of residents.[5]
- 30 January – MP Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, the daughter of former president Jacob Zuma, is arrested on terrorism charges on suspicion of inciting violence on social media that contributed to the 2021 South African unrest.[6]
February
[edit]- 7 February – US President Donald Trump orders a halt in US aid for South Africa after accusing it of confiscating land under new land laws and for its genocide case against Israel.[7]
- 15 February – Muhsin Hendricks, described as the world's first openly gay imam, is shot dead in an ambush near Gqeberha.[8]
- 19 February – The annual presentation of the government budget is abruptly canceled for the first time since the end of apartheid in 1994 and is moved to March amid opposition by the Democratic Alliance to a 2% increase in value-added tax proposed by the African National Congress.[9]
- 23 February – A wildfire breaks out at Table Mountain in Cape Town.[10]
March
[edit]- 9 March – A bus crashes through a barrier and plunges down an embankment in KwaZulu-Natal, killing nine people and injuring 35 others.[11]
- 11 March – A bus overturns near O. R. Tambo International Airport, killing 16 people and injuring 35 others.[12]
- 13 March – South Africa announces the withdrawal of its military contingent from the Southern African Development Community peacekeeping mission to the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.[13]
- 14 March – The United States declares South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool persona non grata, accusing him of remarks against Donald Trump.[14]
April
[edit]- 2 April – The Democratic Alliance votes against the passage of the government budget despite being part of the unity government. The budget passes with support from non-coalition member ActionSA.[15]
- 10 April – American pastor Joh Sullivan is abducted while conducting a church service in Gqeberha. He is rescued on 14 April following a shootout that leaves three of his kidnappers dead.[16]
- 14 April – The National Prosecuting Authority reopens an inquest into the death of Nobel laureate and ANC president Albert Luthuli in 1967.[17]
- 25 April – A wildfire breaks out at Table Mountain in Cape Town, destroying 3,000 hectares of vegetation and prompting the evacuation of 200 residents.[18]
- 29 April – Five people, including three police officers, are found dead along the Hennops River near Pretoria.[19]
May
[edit]- 8 May –
- At least 123 vultures are killed in a mass poisoning caused by the consumption of an elephant carcass laced by poachers with pesticides at Kruger National Park.[20]
- The bodies of Pretoria-based radio journalist Sibusiso Aserie Ndlovu and his partner, both of whom went missing on 18 February, are discovered in Limpopo Province.[21]
- 12 May – The Trump administration brings the first group of white South Africans to the United States through its refugee program.[22] South Africa's foreign ministry calls the move "politically motivated."[23]
- 16 May – The World Anti-Doping Agency revokes the accreditation of Africa's only recognized drug-testing laboratory, located in Bloemfontein, citing "inability to satisfactorily address multiple nonconformities".[24]
- 22 May – An incident at a gold mine outside Johannesburg leaves over 260 miners stranded underground.[25][26]
Scheduled
[edit]- 22–23 November – 2025 G20 Johannesburg Summit.[27]
Art and entertainment
[edit]Holidays
[edit]- 1 January - New Year's Day
- 21 March - Human Rights Day
- 18 April – Good Friday
- 21 April – Family Day
- 27–28 April – Freedom Day
- 1 May - International Workers' Day
- 16 June – Youth Day
- 9 August - National Women's Day
- 24 September – Heritage Day
- 16 December – Day of Reconciliation
- 25 December – Christmas Day
- 26 December – Day of Goodwill
Deaths
[edit]- January 6: Olga Meshoe Washington, 42, lawyer.[30]
- January 7: Winnie Khumalo, 51, singer and actress.[31]
- January 9: Doc Shebeleza, 51, kwaito musician.[32]
- January 10: Wynand Havenga, 59, darts player.[33]
- January 13: Niel Barnard, 75, director-general of the National Intelligence Service (1979–1992).[34]
- March 8: Athol Fugard, 92, playwright, novelist, actor and director.[35]
- May 14: Cornal Hendricks, 37, rugby player (Bulls, Boland Cavaliers, national team).[36]
- May 18: Lungi Gcabashe, 64, MNA (2014–2019, since 2024).[37]
- May 27: Presley Chweneyagae, 40, actor (Tsotsi).[38]
See also
[edit]
Country overviews
[edit]Related timelines for current period
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "18 killed in a multi-vehicle crash at Van Reenen's Pass". eNCA. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
- ^ "1 killed, 20 injured in rockfall at Carletonville mine". Citizen. 9 January 2025. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ "South African police end mine rescue operation with at least 78 dead and 246 survivors". AP News. 16 January 2025. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
- ^ "5 killed in head-on collision in Eastern Cape". news365. 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Johannesburg neighbourhood devastated by fire". Africanews. 28 January 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ "Former South Africa President Jacob Zuma's daughter is arrested on terrorism charges". AP News. 30 January 2025. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
- ^ "Trump signs order freezing aid to South Africa over land law". BBC. 8 February 2025. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
- ^ "World's 'first openly gay imam' shot dead in South Africa". BBC. 16 February 2025. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ "South Africa abruptly cancels budget speech as governing parties dispute the details". AP News. 19 February 2025. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ Kwai, Isabella (26 February 2025). "Wildfire Burning on Table Mountain Moves Toward Cape Town". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
- ^ Khumalo, Ntokozo (10 March 2025). "KZN freak bus crash death toll rises to 9". EWN. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
- ^ "16 are dead and dozens are hurt after a bus flips on a highway in South Africa". AP News. 11 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
- ^ Mutsaka, Farai (13 March 2025). "South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi will withdraw troops from conflict-torn eastern Congo". AP News. Retrieved 14 March 2025.
- ^ "South African ambassador 'no longer welcome' in US, Rubio says". BBC. 15 March 2025. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
- ^ "South Africa's unity government risks collapse as parties clash over national budget". AP News. 3 April 2025. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
- ^ "US pastor kidnapped during church service in South Africa found after shoot-out". BBC. 16 April 2025. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ "South Africa reopens inquest into apartheid-era death of Nobel winner Luthuli, 58 years later". AP News. 3 April 2025. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
- ^ "Large fires are burning on the slopes of South Africa's famous Table Mountain". AP News. 29 April 2025. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
- ^ "South African authorities find the bodies of 3 missing police officers in a river". AP News. 29 April 2025. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
- ^ "More than 100 vultures die in a mass poisoning in South Africa's flagship national park". AP News. 8 May 2025. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ "Shock as missing South African journalist's decomposed body found". BBC. 8 May 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
- ^ Savage, Rachel; Smith, David (12 May 2025). "First group of white South Africans arrive in US after Trump grants refugee status". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
- ^ Hesson, Ted (9 May 2025). "First white South Africans to arrive under US refugee plan as soon as next week". Reuters.
- ^ "Africa's only anti-doping lab has status revoked by WADA for testing flaws". AP News. 16 May 2025. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
- ^ "260 miners stuck underground after 'incident' at S.African shaft". France 24. 23 May 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
- ^ "Rescue bid launched for hundreds trapped in South African gold mine". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
- ^ Brederode, William. "Cape Town 'disappointed' as Joburg gets to host G20 Summit thanks to airports, hotels". Business. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
- ^ "South Africa Public Holidays 2025". Public Holidays Global. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ "Public holidays in South Africa". Government of South Africa. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ Medupe, Kgomotso. "Kenneth Meshoe mourns daughter's passing!". Daily Sun. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
- ^ Zimbabwe, New (8 January 2025). "Legendary South African singer Winnie Khumalo dies at 51 after short illness". NewZimbabwe.com. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
- ^ Zuma, Mbalenhle (9 January 2025). "Kwaito legend Doc Shebeleza has died". Sunday World. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
- ^ "South Africa's first World Championship representative Havenga passes away". PDC. 10 January 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
- ^ "Former spy boss and first negotiator for a democratic SA, Dr Niël Barnard, dies at 75". News24. 13 January 2025. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
- ^ Maako, Keitumetse. "Internationally acclaimed playwright Athol Fugard dies at 92". Life. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
- ^ "South African rugby mourns death of Cornal Hendricks at 37". France 24. 15 May 2025. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
- ^ "ANCWL deputy president has died". eNCA. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ "S.Africa's 'Tsotsi' star Presley Chweneyagae dies". France 24. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
External links
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