# 1996 in South Africa

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive
The following lists events that happened during 1996 in South Africa.

## Incumbents

* President: Nelson Mandela.
* Deputy President: F.W. de Klerk (until 30 June) along with Thabo Mbeki.
* Chief Justice: Michael Corbett then vacant.

### Cabinet

The Cabinet, together with the President and the Deputy President, forms part of the Executive.

### Provincial Premiers

* Eastern Cape Province: Raymond Mhlaba
* Free State Province: Mosiuoa Lekota (until 18 December), Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri (since 18 December)
* Gauteng Province: Tokyo Sexwale
* KwaZulu-Natal Province: Frank Mdlalose
* Limpopo Province: Ngoako Ramathlodi
* Mpumalanga Province: Mathews Phosa
* North West Province: Popo Molefe
* Northern Cape Province: Manne Dipico
* Western Cape Province: Hernus Kriel

## Events
### January

* 15 – King Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho is killed in a car accident.

### February

* 26 – South Africa and Algeria restore diplomatic ties.
* Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in his capacity as Grand President of the British Commonwealth Ex-Services League, visits South Africa.

### March

* 11 – The trial of General Magnus Malan and 19 co-accused begins in the Durban Supreme Court.
* 19 – President Nelson Mandela is granted a divorce from Winnie Mandela in the Rand Supreme Court.
* 23 – Approximately 6,000 Inkatha Freedom Party supporters armed with fighting sticks, spears, clubs and battle axes rally in the Tugela Ferry area of KwaZulu-Natal in defiance of a national ban on traditional weapons.

### April

* 15 – The Truth and Reconciliation Commission begins its formal hearings.

### May

* 2 – South Africa and China exchange letters granting each other most-favoured-nation status.
* 8 – South Africa's new constitution is adopted by the Constitutional Assembly.
* 9 – The National Party withdraws from the coalition government, giving the African National Congress full political control.

### June

* 19 – Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina Gonzalez visits South Africa.

### July

* Nelson Mandela visits the United Kingdom on a state visit.

### August

* 4 – Rashaad Staggie, Hard Livings gang leader, is killed by the vigilante group People Against Gangsterism and Drugs.
* Mimi Coertse receives the highest accolade an artist can receive from the Austrian government, the Oesterreichishe Ehrenkreuz für Wissenschaft und Kunst.

### September

* 6 – The Constitutional Court delivers judgment on the new constitution.
* 11 – A mining agreement on wages and working conditions is signed between the Chamber of Mines and the National Union of Mineworkers.

### October

* 11 – The constitution is amended by the Constitutional Assembly.
* 30 – Colonel Eugene de Kock of the South African Police is sentenced to 212 years in prison.
* General Magnus Malan and 19 co-accused are acquitted on all charges relating to the massacre of 13 people in KwaMakhuta township south of Durban in 1987.
* The first South African National Census since the end of apartheid is held.

### December

* 4 – A number of agreements relating to culture, double taxation, fiscal evasion and a memorandum of understanding relating to defence equipment are signed by Thabo Mbeki, Deputy President of South Africa, on a state visit to India.
* 10 – The new constitution is signed into law.

### Unknown date

* Trevor Manuel is appointed Minister of Finance.
* Paraffin Safety Association of Southern Africa is founded.

## Births

* 31 January - Master KG, musician & record producer
* 17 February – Sasha Pieterse, actress
* 1 March – Jane de Wet, actress
* 3 March – Andile Phehlukwayo, cricketer
* 5 March – Kirsten Beckett, artistic gymnast
* 29 March – Lungi Ngidi, cricketer
* 22 April – Ilze Hattingh, tennis player
* 22 April – Herschel Jantjies, rugby player
* 26 May – Lara Goodall, cricketer
* 15 June - Gaisang Noge, actress
* 30 June - Makhadzi, singer

## Deaths

* 15 January – King Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho. (b. 1938)
* 28 March – Siegfried Mynhardt, actor. (b. 1906)
* 16 December – Laurens van der Post, author and political adviser. (b. 1906)

## Sports

Bafana Bafana wins African Cup of Nation that was organized in South Africa by winning 2–0 against Tunisia in the final.

### Athletics

* 25 February – Josia Thugwane wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:11:46 in Pinelands.