The following lists events that happened during 2020 in Southern Africa. The countries are those described in the United Nations geoscheme for Africa.
The population of Southern Africa is 67,324,356 as of April 18, 2020, based on the latest United Nations estimates. The Southern Africa population is equivalent to 0.87% of the total world population.
Countries
Botswana - Changed its name from Bechuanaland Protectorate to Botswana when it declared its independence from the United Kingdom on September 30, 1966. Thecapital of the Republic of Botswana is Gaborone. The country is a member of the African Union (AU), the Commonwealth, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the United Nations (UN).
President of Botswana: Mokgweetsi Masisi (since April 1, 2018)CIA World Factbook: Botswana retrieved 18 Apr 2020 Vice-President of Botswana: Slumber Tsogwane (since April 4, 2018)
Eswatini - Was officially the Kingdom of Swaziland until 2018; it achieved its independence from the United Kingdom in 1968. The executive capital and largest city of the Kingdom of Eswatini is Mbabane; the traditional, spiritual, and legislative capital is Lobamba. Eswatini is a member of the SADC, the AU, the Commonwealth, and the UN.
Chief of state: Ngwenyama (King): Mswati III (since April 25, 1986)CIA World Factbook: Eswatini retrieved 18 Apr 2020 Head of government: Prime Minister: Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini (until October 27), Themba N. Masuku (from December 13) Deputy Prime Minister Themba N. Masuku (since November 6, 2018)
Lesotho - A country enclaved in South Africa. Basutoland declared its independence from the United Kingdom on October 4, 1966, and became the Kingdom of Lesotho. Today it is a member of the AU, the Commonwealth, the SADC, and the UN. Its capital is Maseru.
Chief of state: King: Letsie III (from February 7, 1996)CIA World Factbook: Lesotho retrieved 18 Apr 2020 Head of government: Prime Minister Tom Thabane (June 16, 2017 to May 19, 2020) Moeketsi Majoro (since May 19, 2020)
Namibia - The Namibian War of Independence led to independence from South Africa on March 21, 1990. Walvis Bay and the Penguin Islands were ceded to the Republic of Namibia in 1994. Namibia is a member of the AU, SADC, and UN. The capital is Windhoek. President: Hage Geingob (since March 21, 2015)CIA World Factbook: Namibia retrieved April 19, 2020 Vice President: Nangolo Mbumba (since February 12, 2018) Prime Minister: Saara Kuugongelwa (since March 21, 2015) Deputy Prime Minister: Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (since March 21, 2015)
South Africa
- The Union of South Africa became a self-governing dominion of the British Empire in 1910 and became the Republic of South Africa in 1961. It ended Apartheid and gained majority rule on April 27, 1994. The administrative capital is Pretoria, the legislative capital is Cape Town, and the judicial capital is Bloemfontein.
President: Cyril Ramaphosa (since February 15, 2018)CIA World Factbook: South Africa retrieved April 19, 2020 Deputy President: David Mabuza (February 26, 2018) Chief Justice: Mogoeng Mogoeng Speaker of the National Assembly: Thandi Modise
Monthly events
January and February January 1 – New Year's Day February 3 – A court issues an arrest warrant for former South Africa president Jacob Zuma, 77, on corruption charges. The case will resume on May 6.South African court issues arrest warrant for ex-leader Zuma By Cara Anna and Mogomotsi Magome, Associated Press, ABC News, 4 Feb 2020 February 5 – German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives in South Africa to discuss trade, investment, and energy issues.Germany's Merkel arriving in South Africa to talk trade By Mogomotsi Magome, Associated Press/ABC News, 5 Feb 2020 February 6 – Lesotho's First Lady, Maesiah Thabane is arrested for murdering her predecessor, Lipolelo Thabane in 2017.Lesotho's Political Drama - One Down, One to Go? allAfrica, Voice of America, 10 Feb 2020Lesotho's first lady is charged with murdering husband's ex-wife By Brent Swails and Rapelang Radebe, CNN, 6 Feb 2020, retrieved 20 Feb 2020 February 20 – Former prime minister Thomas Thabane, 80, of Lesotho is to be charged with his wife's 2017 murder.Lesotho's prime minister to be charged with ex-wife's murder Al Jazeera, 20 Feb 2020
March and April March 11 – Moshoeshoe Day, Lesotho March 12 – At least 18 African countries, including South Africa report cases of the novel coronavirus. Most are in single figures, and no deaths have been reported in Sub-Saharan Africa.Coronavirus spreads to more African countries Al Jazeera, 12 March 2020 March 14 – Scheduled date for the 2020 DStv Mzansi Viewers' Choice Awards in South Africa March 21 Independence Day, Namibia Human Rights Day, South Africa April 10 – Good Friday, Christian holiday April 13 Easter Monday, Christian holiday Family Day, South Africa April 18 – Prime Minister Thomas Thabane deploys the army to the streets of Lesotho to restore order. April 19 – Birthday of King Mswati III, Eswatini April 22 – World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the number of malaria deaths in Africa may double this year as efforts to curb the disease wind down. April 26 – COVID-19 pandemic: Cuba sends 200 doctors to South Africa. April 27 – Freedom Day, South Africa April 30 – COVID-19 pandemic: Lesotho is the only African country that has not reported the virus.
May and June May 1 – Labour Day and International Workers' Day May 4: Cassinga Day, Namibia May 2 – People form lines four kilometers (2.49 miles) long to get food in Olievenhoutbosch, South Africa. May 8 – Lesotho Prime Minister Thomas Thabane will step down in July as the country's leader. May 13 – COVID-19 pandemic: Lesotho report its first case of the virus, becoming the last country in Africa to do so. May 14 – Afrikaans speakers fear the language may be on the way to extinction. May 19 – Lesotho's Prime Minister Thomas Thabane resigns. Moeketsi Majoro is sworn in. May 25 – Africa Day June 3 – Lesotho's former first lady, Maesaiah Thabane, is arrested for the murder of the previous wife of her husband and former prime minister, Thomas Thabane. June 8 COVID-19 pandemic: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa who says that he's worried that the country's numbers of COVID-19 are rising fast. More than half of South Africa's more than 50,000 confirmed cases and 1,000 deaths have been recorded in the last two weeks. South Africans in Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town protest the murder of George Floyd of Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. The protests are also in honor of Collins Khosa, a black South African man who died after allegedly being assaulted by black soldiers enforcing the country's strict lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus. June 12 – World Day Against Child Labor: The International Labour Organization and the UNICEF warn that millions of children are likely to be pushed into forced labor because of the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. June 16 – Youth Day, South Africa
July and August July 1 – Sir Seretse Khama Day, Botswana July 5 – Botswana investigates the mysterious death of between 275 and 356 elephants July 17: King's birthday, Lesotho July 20: Presidents' Day (Botswana) July 22: King Father's birthday, Eswatini August 9: National Women's Day (South Africa) August 26: Heroes' Day, Namibia
September and October September 7 – The World Food Programme warns of possible hunger in southern Africa, including Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Madagascar, Angola, Lesotho, Esuatini, Zambia, Malawi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
November and December November 15 – Preacher Shepherd Bushiri and his wife skip bail and flee from South Africa to Malawi to avoid a fraud trial.
Predicted and scheduled events
September 6: Somhlolo Day (Independence Day, Eswatini) September 24: Heritage Day (South Africa) September 30: Botswana Day October 4: Independence Day, Lesotho November TBA: Namibia National council, Regional councils, and local electionsAfrica Watch: 2020 is election season across Africa by Franck Kuwonu, United Nations.org, Africa Renewal: Dec 2019 to March 2020, retrieved 22 Feb 2020 December 10: Human Rights Day, Namibia December 16: Day of Reconciliation, South Africa December 20: Incwala (summer solstice), Eswatini December 25: Christmas Day, Christian holiday December 26: Boxing Day, Commonwealth countries and "Day of Goodwill" in Namibia and South Africa
Culture
The Arts
Television
February 28 – Premier of Queen Sono March 14 – 2020 DStv Mzansi Viewers' Choice Awards, Johannesburg TBA – Premier of 8th season of Survivor South Africa: Immunity Island
Sports
November 29, 2019 to February 1, 2020: 2019–20 CAF Champions League group stage December 1, 2019 to February 2, 2020: 2019–20 CAF Confederation Cup group stage 17 January to 9 February 2020 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 20 to 23 April 2020: 2020 IIHF World Championship Division III, Cape Town, South Africa May TBA – Finals of 2020 African U-17 Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournament Began January 2020 June 21 – Finals of 2020 African U-20 Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournament August 8 to September 27: 2020 Rugby Championship, featuring Argentina, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. October 5 to October 12: 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification — CAF second round October 13: 2020 MEA Rugby League Championship, Pretoria, South Africa
Deaths January to March
January 6 – Richard Maponya, 99, South African entrepreneur and property developer (b. 1920). January 18 – Peter Mathebula, South African WBA flyweight champion boxer (b. 1952). January 20 – Bicks Ndoni, South African politician (b. 1958). January 26 – Santu Mofokeng, 64, South African photographer; progressive supranuclear palsySantu Mofokeng, Photographer Who Elegantly Immortalized Lives of Black South Africans, Is Dead at 64 7 February – Harold Strachan, 94, South African writer and anti-apartheid activist.Umkhonto we Sizwe's first explosives whizz Harold Strachan dies February 11 – Joseph Shabalala, 78, founder of Ladysmith Black MambazoJoseph Shabalala, Ladysmith Black Mambazo founder dies at 78 CNN World, 11 Feb 2020 February 20 – Zoe Gail, 100, South African-born British singer and actress (No Orchids for Miss Blandish).Zoe Gail, singer who switched on the lights in Piccadilly after the wartime blackout – obituary February 26 – Clinton Marius, 53, South African writer and performerMaritzburg-born playwright and actor dies suddenly March 21 – Sol Kerzner, 84, South African hotelier, founder of Southern Sun Hotel Group and Sun International, cancer.Sol Kerzner dies after struggle with cancer March 25 – Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa, 98, South African traditional healer and conspiracy theoristCredo Mutwa passes on at 98 years old March 31 – Gita Ramjee, 63, South African HIV prevention researcher; COVID-19.JUST IN: Renowned SA scientist Gita Ramjee dies of complications due to COVID-19
April to June April 1 – Harold Rubin, 87, South African-born Israeli jazz clarinettist.מת הרולד רובין, מחלוצי הג'ז החופשי בישראל April 3 Hans Meyer, 94, South African actor (Colditz)Hans Meyer: Biography Constand Viljoen, 86, South African military officer and politician, MP (1994–2001)General Constand Viljoen, former SADF commander and political leader, dies at 86 April 29 – Denis Goldberg, 87, South African lawyer and political activist (Rivonia Trial); lung cancerANC Stalwart Denis Goldberg Passes Away at 87 May 4 – Cedric Xulu, 80, South African footballer (AmaZulu F.C.), cancer. May 11 – Ewie Cronje, 80, South African cricketer.Ewie Cronje dies aged 80 12 May - Clarence Mini, 68, South African doctor, anti-apartheid fighter, COVID-19.Tributes pour in for Council of Medical Schemes chair Dr Clarence Mini who died of Covid-19 May 19 – Mary-Anne Plaatjies van Huffel, 60, South African pastor and academic; complications from surgeryStellenbosch University mourns death of professor after surgery