The following is a timeline of the history of Pretoria, in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, Gauteng province, South Africa.
Ancient 200 000 year old artefacts found in a rock shelter on the Erasmus Castle property.
19th century
1825 Mzilikazi arrives in the Transvaal region. Mfecane, or the genocide of the people of the Transvaal by Mzilikazi lasts until 1840. 1837 Mzilikazi and the Matabele defeated by the Voortrekkers and forced to flee across the Limpopo river 1840 First permanent white settlers in the Pretoria area. 1848 David Botha builds a farmhouse that would later become the Pionier Museum. 1852 17 January: The Sand River Convention signed granting the Voortrekkers north of the Vaal river (Transvaal) self-government as the South African Republic 1853 16 November: The establishment of the Volksraad (parliament) of the South African Republic. M.W. Pretorius buys the farms of Elandspoort and Koedoespoort and later in November of the same year the town of Pretoria is founded on the two adjoining farms. 1855 Pretoria founded by Voortrekkers to be the capital of the new Transvaal Republic. 1867 Cullinan diamond field discovered near Pretoria. 1873 University of South Africa founded. De Volkstem Dutch/English-language newspaper begins publication. 1874 Burgers Park layout of Pretoria's first botanical gardens. 1877 British annexation of the Transvaal 1879 St. Mary's Diocesan School for Girls was established. 1880 16 December: Outbreak of the First Boer War December: The city is besieged by Transvaal Republican forces. 1881 March: The city is once again besieged by Transvaal Republican forces. 3 August: Pretoria Convention peace treaty signed ending the First Boer War. Transvaal independence reinstated with Pretoria as capital. 1884 Kruger House built. 1886 Melrose House built. 1892 Raadsaal (Transvaal parliament) rebuilt. State Museum founded focusing mostly on Natural History. Burgers Park laid out as the city's first botanical gardens. 1896
Staats Model School built. 1897 6 April: Fort Schanskop built. 8 June: Palace of Justice built. 4 September: Fort Wonderboompoort built. 1898 18 January: Fort Klapperkop built. November: Fort Daspoortrand built. Pretoria News founded. 1899 Zoo founded. Deutsche Internationale Schule Pretoria founded. 1900 5 June: British forces occupy the city.
20th century 1900s-1940s
1901 - Pretoria Boys High School founded. 1902 31 May: The Treaty of Vereeniging is signed in Melrose House marking the end of the Second Boer War and the establishment of the British Transvaal Colony. Pretoria High School for Girls founded. Premier diamond mine begins operating near Pretoria at Cullinan. 1903 - "Local self-government granted." 1905 Lady Selbourne suburb established. Large Cullinan Diamond discovered near Pretoria. 1906 - Imported jacaranda trees planted. 1910 Pretoria becomes the administrative capital of the British colonial Union of South Africa. Pretoria railway station rebuilt. 1913 - Union Buildings constructed in Arcadia. 1920 Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool founded. Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool founded. 1922 - Christian Brothers' College was founded. 1923 Stadium built in Arcadia. Waterkloof House Preparatory School was founded. 1930 - University of Pretoria was founded. 1931 Capitol Theatre (cinema) opens. 14 October: Pretoria receives official city status. 1935 - Pretoria City Hall built. 1939 - 1 July: Trolleybuses in Pretoria begin operating. 1940 - Atteridgeville suburb established. 1942 - Danville suburb established. 1946 June: Pretoria National Botanical Garden established in the east of the city. Population: 167,649 city; 244,496 urban agglomeration. 1948 Groenkloof suburb established. Catholic Vicariate of Pretoria established. Clapham High School was founded. 1949 Hercules becomes part of Pretoria. Voortrekker Monument erected. Die Hoërskool Wonderboom founded.
1950s-1990s 1951 Menlo Park suburb was established Pretoria North High School was founded Population: 231,710 city; 285,379 urban agglomeration. Vlakfontein township established. 1952 - Hoërskool Oos-Moot was founded. 1955 Centenary of Pretoria celebrations under the mayoralty of Hilgard Muller The old German community hall is acquired by the National Theatre Organisation (NTO) and converted into the Breytenbach Theatre. Hillview High School was founded. 1956 9 August Women's march. Historical Association of South Africa headquartered in Pretoria. 1958 - 17 November The first theatre production opens at the Breytenbach Theatre. 1959 - "Treason trial" of ANC leaders begins. 1960 - Laudium township and Africa Institute of South Africa established. 1961 - City becomes capital of the Republic of South Africa. 1962 - Eersterus area established. 1963 Die Hoërskool Menlopark was founded. St. Alban's College was founded. 9 October: Rivonia Trial begins. 1964 12 June: In the Rivonia Trial, Nelson Mandela's original 5-year sentence is extended to life sentence for high treason together with Denis Goldberg, Ahmed Kathrada, Govan Mbeki, Raymond Mhlaba, Andrew Mlangeni, Elias Motsoaledi and Walter Sisulu at the Palace of Justice. 6 November: Vuyisile Mini is being hanged due to death penalty for treason together with Wilson Khayinga and Zinakile Mkaba. November: In the Little Rivonia Trial, sentence was introduced for another treason: Wilton Mkwayi received life sentence; Dave Kitson twenty years; Laloo Chiba eighteen years; John Matthews fifteen years and Mac Maharaj twelve years. 1966 - Fort Klapperkop is restored and turned into the Fort Klapperkop Military Museum. 1970 Population: 543,950 city; 561,703 urban agglomeration. Mamelodi Sundowns was established. 1972 Daspoort Tunnel opens. 21 February: Trolleybuses in Pretoria cease operating. 1974 - Hoërskool Overkruin was founded. 1975 - Pionier Museum opens in the oldest extant structure in Pretoria, a farmhouse circa 1848. 1976 The Glen High School was founded. Soshanguve suburb was founded 1977 - 12 September: Death of Steve Biko. 1979 Hoërskool Waterkloof was founded. 6 April Solomon Mahlangu, Umkhonto we Sizwe operative hanged due to death penalty. Menlyn Park shopping mall in business. 1981 State Theatre opens. Hoërskool Montana was founded. 1983 20 May: Church Street bombing was perpetrated by Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress. The bombing killed 19, including two perpetrators, and wounded 217, Hoërskool Die Wilgers was founded. 1984 - Atteridgeville-Saulsville Residents Organisation formed. 1985 28 February Denis Goldberg was released from custody of Apartheid government after spending 22 years in Pretoria Central Prison white prison. Large Golden Jubilee Diamond discovered near Pretoria 21 November The Mamelodi Massacre occurs after 8000 protesters march on the Mamelodi Town Council due to high rent. Thirteen people lost their lives. Population: 443,059 city; 822,925 urban agglomeration. SuperSport United was established. 1986 - Idasa institute founded. 1987 - Willowridge High School was founded. 1988 - Hoërskool Garsfontein was founded. 1991 Institute for Security Studies established. Population: 525,583 city; 1,080,187 metro. 1993 - Radio Pretoria and Tuks FM radio begin broadcasting. 1994 City becomes part of the newly established Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vaal province (later Gauteng). Inauguration of South African president Nelson Mandela. Pro Arte Alphen Park was founded. 1996 Population: 692,348 city. Area of city: 229 square miles. South African Local Government Association headquartered in Pretoria. 2000 5 December: Pretoria becomes the seat of the newly established City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. Impak newspaper begins publication. June: University of Pretoria's Mapungubwe Museum opens. Crawford College was founded.
21st century
2001 Website Tshwane.gov.za launched. 2002 30 July: Pretoria Accord signed in Pretoria. It was an agreement made between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in an attempt to bring about an end to the Second Congo War. 2004 Tshwane University of Technology established by merging several former institutions. 8 March:Freedom Park is inaugurated by Thabo Mbeki. Woodlands Boulevard shopping centre in business. 2005 December: Shanty town unrest. 2008 August: Congress of South African Trade Unions demonstration. Ditsong Museums of South Africa is created in order to manage several Museums in Pretoria and Johannesburg. 2011 Gautrain begins operating with stations at Hatfield, Pretoria Central and Centurion. August: Economic protest. Kgosientso Ramokgopa becomes mayor of Tshwane. Population: 2,921,488 in Tshwane. 2012 11 July: Construction begins on the A Re Yeng rapid bus transit system. 2013 31 January: Train collision injuring 300 people near the Kalafong station. 2014 Air pollution in Tshwane reaches annual mean of 51 PM2.5 and 63 PM10, more than recommended. 1 December: A Re Yeng rapid bus transit system launches. 2016 20–23 June:Riots broke out in Tshwane over the ANC's selection of Thoko Didiza as mayoral candidate for Tshwane. The Tshwane riots result in the deaths of at least five people after it turned xenophobic in nature. 19 August: Solly Msimanga of the Democratic Alliance is sworn in as the Executive Mayor after the 2016 Municipal Elections. 2017 24 February: An Anti-Immigration Protest resulting in the arrest of 136 protesters. 1 April: The grand opening of Time Square, Pretoria the second biggest casino complex in South Africa. 1 November: SunBet Arena at Times square was opened. 2019 11 February: Solly Msimanga resigns as mayor 12 February 2019: Stevens Mokgalapa is elected mayor. 23 August 2019: Hoërskool Hendrik Verwoerd becomes as the newly Rietondale High School.
See also Pretoria history (af) List of Pretoria suburbs Timelines of other cities in South Africa: Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha, Johannesburg, Pietermaritzburg
References
Bibliography
Published in 20th century
Published in 21st century
External links
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