The following lists events that happened during 1958 in South Africa.
Incumbents Monarch: Queen Elizabeth II. Governor-General and High Commissioner for Southern Africa: Ernest George Jansen. Prime Minister: Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom (until 24 August), Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd (starting 2 September). Chief Justice: Henry Allan Fagan.
Events
April 16 – The last general election of the Union of South Africa takes place.
May 6 – Margaret Rheeder is hanged in Pretoria for poisoning her husband, Benjamin Fredenman.
September 2 – Hendrik Verwoerd becomes the 6th Prime Minister of South Africa.
October 13 – Penny Coelen is crowned as Miss World 1958 during the 8th Miss World pageant, the first South African to win the title.
December 12–14 – The 46th Annual Conference of the African National Congress is held in Durban.
Births 27 February – Naas Botha, rugby player 14 April – Danie Gerber, rugby player 14 April – Blade Nzimande, politician, national minister, General Secretary of the South African Communist Party 21 April – Senzo Mchunu, politician, national minister 21 April – Lindiwe Zulu, national minister 30 April – Mbhazima Shilowa, trade unionist and politician. 27 May – Cheryl Carolus, activist and politician. 5 June – Jackson Mthembu, politician, national minister 17 June – Barbara Creecy; anti-apartheid movement activist, member of the African National Congress, national minister 28 July – Deon van der Walt, tenor. (d. 2005) 4 August – Steve Kekana, singer & songwriter 7 August – Aaron Motsoaledi, politician, national minister 24 October – Gcina Mhlophe, actress, storyteller, poet, playwright, director and author 27 October – Jonathan Shapiro, cartoonist 15 December – Don Laka, jazz musician, songwriter, producer. Most well known for being the co-founder of record label, Kalawa Jazmee Records.
Deaths 2 May – Henry Cornelius, film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. (b. 1913)
Railways
Locomotives Two new Cape gauge locomotive types enter service on the South African Railways. The first of fifty-five Class 5E, Series 3 electric locomotives. In June and July forty-five Class 1-DE General Electric type U12B locomotives are the first diesel-electrics to enter SAR service in quantity.
References