7 January –
COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa: Health Minister
Zweli Mkhize announces that South Africa will receive one million doses of
Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine in January and 500,000 in February. 1.25 million health workers will be prioritized. SA has confirmed 1.1 million infections and 31,368 deaths.[2]
25 January – A five-year-old boy in
Mpumalanga[3] dies and thousands are homeless as
Cyclone Eloise causes extensive flooding in southern Africa.
Limpopo is particularly hard hit.[4][5]
1 February
Environment Minister
Barbara Creecy reports that
rhinoceros poaching in South Africa is down for the sixth year in a row, to 394 animals killed in 2020 for their horns. She attributed the decline to both the COVID-19 pandemic and to work by rangers and security personnel and noted that it is still a major problem.[6]
24 March – The South African Human Rights Commission investigates a case of discrimination involving a
Ndebele activist's Thando Mahlangu, 35, use of traditional clothing in a Clicks pharmacy in suburban
Johannesburg.[13]
24 March – Queen
Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu is named regent following the death of King Goodwill Zwelithini.[14]
25 March – Ethiopians demonstrate in
Pretoria to bring attention to human rights violations in the
Tigray Region of Ethiopia.[15]
29 March – President Ramaphosa calls upon members of the
African National Congress (ANC) who have been charged with corruption or other serious crimes
to step aside within 30 days or face suspension.[16]
9 June – Gosiame Thamara Sithole reportedly gives birth to ten babies—five boys and five girls—in a possible world record.[18] On 15 June 2021 the supposed father of the 10 children admitted via a family statement that the story is false and that Gosiame Thamara Sithole never gave birth to decuplets.[19]
29 June – The Constitutional Court of South Africa hands down judgment in State Capture Inquiry v Zuma, finding former president
Jacob Zuma guilty of contempt of court and sentencing him to 15 months' imprisonment.[20]
July and August
1 July - Violence starts to rapidly increase in the
2021 Cape Town taxi conflict over the B97 taxi route between Bellville and Paarl.
2 July – President
Cyril Ramaphosa appoints Minister of Basic Education
Angie Motshekga as the country's acting president for the day upon his leave to attend the State Funeral of the late Zambian President
Kenneth Kaunda, while Deputy President
David Mabuza is on sick leave.[21]
22 October - Following a high-profile trial ex-police officer
Nomia Rosemary Ndlovu is convicted of murdering five relatives and her boyfriend over several years. In most cases the victims were killed by hitmen hired by her, although Ndlovu murdered her sister herself in 2013. The victims were killed for life-insurance payouts, and Ndlovu is also convicted of insurance fraud.[22]
25 February –
Caster Semenya, 30, announces she will appeal to the
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) so that she can compete as a female in track meets. Her birth certificate identifies her as female and she has always identified as female, but she has high levels of
testosterone that keep her out of international competition.[24]
7 January –
COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa: Health Minister
Zweli Mkhize announces that South Africa will receive one million doses of
Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine in January and 500,000 in February. 1.25 million health workers will be prioritized. SA has confirmed 1.1 million infections and 31,368 deaths.[2]
25 January – A five-year-old boy in
Mpumalanga[3] dies and thousands are homeless as
Cyclone Eloise causes extensive flooding in southern Africa.
Limpopo is particularly hard hit.[4][5]
1 February
Environment Minister
Barbara Creecy reports that
rhinoceros poaching in South Africa is down for the sixth year in a row, to 394 animals killed in 2020 for their horns. She attributed the decline to both the COVID-19 pandemic and to work by rangers and security personnel and noted that it is still a major problem.[6]
24 March – The South African Human Rights Commission investigates a case of discrimination involving a
Ndebele activist's Thando Mahlangu, 35, use of traditional clothing in a Clicks pharmacy in suburban
Johannesburg.[13]
24 March – Queen
Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu is named regent following the death of King Goodwill Zwelithini.[14]
25 March – Ethiopians demonstrate in
Pretoria to bring attention to human rights violations in the
Tigray Region of Ethiopia.[15]
29 March – President Ramaphosa calls upon members of the
African National Congress (ANC) who have been charged with corruption or other serious crimes
to step aside within 30 days or face suspension.[16]
9 June – Gosiame Thamara Sithole reportedly gives birth to ten babies—five boys and five girls—in a possible world record.[18] On 15 June 2021 the supposed father of the 10 children admitted via a family statement that the story is false and that Gosiame Thamara Sithole never gave birth to decuplets.[19]
29 June – The Constitutional Court of South Africa hands down judgment in State Capture Inquiry v Zuma, finding former president
Jacob Zuma guilty of contempt of court and sentencing him to 15 months' imprisonment.[20]
July and August
1 July - Violence starts to rapidly increase in the
2021 Cape Town taxi conflict over the B97 taxi route between Bellville and Paarl.
2 July – President
Cyril Ramaphosa appoints Minister of Basic Education
Angie Motshekga as the country's acting president for the day upon his leave to attend the State Funeral of the late Zambian President
Kenneth Kaunda, while Deputy President
David Mabuza is on sick leave.[21]
22 October - Following a high-profile trial ex-police officer
Nomia Rosemary Ndlovu is convicted of murdering five relatives and her boyfriend over several years. In most cases the victims were killed by hitmen hired by her, although Ndlovu murdered her sister herself in 2013. The victims were killed for life-insurance payouts, and Ndlovu is also convicted of insurance fraud.[22]
25 February –
Caster Semenya, 30, announces she will appeal to the
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) so that she can compete as a female in track meets. Her birth certificate identifies her as female and she has always identified as female, but she has high levels of
testosterone that keep her out of international competition.[24]