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2015 in South Africa

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2015
in
South Africa

Decades:
See also:

2015 in South Africa saw a number of social and political protests and movements form. At President Jacob Zuma's 2015 State of the Nation Address, the president was interrupted by an opposition party, the Economic Freedom Fighters, who demanded that he pay back the money used on his Nkandla homestead. South Africa also saw new xenophobic uprisings taking place, mainly targeted towards Africans from other countries. Foreigners were beaten, robbed and murdered during the attacks. The social protest Rhodes Must Fall started in 2015 at the University of Cape Town to protest for the removal of statues erected in South Africa during the colonial era depicting some of the well known colonists who settled in South Africa. In education, South Africa recorded a drop in its matric pass rate from 2013 to 2014. The protest #FeesMustFall was started towards the end of the year and achieved its primary goal of stopping an increase in university fees for 2016. South Africa also saw the discovery of Homo naledi in 2015. The South African national rugby union team came third in the 2015 Rugby World Cup and Trevor Noah started hosting The Daily Show on Comedy Central.

Incumbents

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

Events

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January

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February

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March

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  • 1 – Multiple fires break out on the Cape Peninsula, damaging large expanses of vegetation and several houses.[9]
The statue of Cecil John Rhodes in front of the University of Cape Town being removed on 9 April 2015.

April

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May

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June

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July

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  • 6 – It is reported that a fleet of 13 trains purchased by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) at a cost of R600-million could pose a "significant safety hazard" to South African commuters as they are allegedly too high for local rail lines.[20] The ensuing controversy results in an inquiry into the academic qualifications of one of Prasa's senior engineers, as well as the dismissal of the company's chief executive, Lucky Montana.[21]
  • 17 – More than 100 people are injured after two trains collide near the Booysens Train Station in Johannesburg.[22][23]

August

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September

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October

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  • 14
    • National Police Commissioner, Riah Phiyega is suspended after an inquiry into her fitness to hold office.[31]
    • A temporary bridge collapses over the M1 motorway in Johannesburg near Sandton, killing two people and injuring twenty.[32]
    • Student protests erupt at the University of Witwatersrand after it is announced that university fees would be raised by 10.5%. Similar protests later spread to universities across the country, including the University of Cape Town and Rhodes University.[33]
  • 21 – The #FeesMustFall protests gain momentum countrywide, culminating in a march of 5000 students to the South African Parliament. Riot police move to forcefully disperse the largely peaceful protests using stun grenades, tasers, coloured gas, riot shields and truncheons.[34] Two days later, President Jacob Zuma announces that university fees will not increase in 2016; despite this, protests regarding the lack of transformation at tertiary institutions continue across the country.[35]

November

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  • 15–ongoing – Severe drought caused by the El Nino climatological phenomenon, hits five of South Africa's nine provinces, placing strain on the country's water supply and affecting around 2.7 million households.[36]

December

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Deaths

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January

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Johannes de Villiers Graaff
André Brink
Clive Rice

February

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March

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April

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May

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June

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July

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September

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October

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November

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Nicolaides, Gia (5 January 2015). "2014 MATRIC PASS RATE DROPS TO 75.8%". Eyewitness News. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  2. ^ Kubheka, Thando (19 January 2015). "CONCOURT: DA'S 'NKANDLA SMS' WAS FAIR COMMENT". Eyewitness News. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  3. ^ Molosankwe, Botho (21 January 2015). "Xenophobic attacks after teen's killing". iol News. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  4. ^ Bilefsky, Dan (30 January 2015). "South Africa Grants Parole to a Death-Squad Leader". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  5. ^ Rademeyer, Julian (14 February 2015). "SONA2015: Confirmed – Public Order Police were involved in forcibly removing EFF MPs". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  6. ^ "Journalists, MPs protest signal jamming at Sona 2015". The Daily Vox. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  7. ^ Davis, Gaye (13 February 2015). "DA MEMBERS ARRESTED AHEAD OF SONA". The Daily Vox. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  8. ^ Milne, Seumas; MacAskill, Ewen (25 February 2015). "Spies, lies and fantasies: leaked cables lift lid on work of intelligence agencies". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  9. ^ Malgas, Natalie; September, Chanel; Isaacs, Lauren (3 March 2015). "CAPE FIRES CAUSE MASS DEVASTATION TO HECTARES OF VEGETATION". Eyewitness News. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  10. ^ "Students pelt colonialist Cecil Rhodes' statue with excrement". The Telegraph. 17 March 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  11. ^ "RHODES UNI NAME CHANGE WILL BE BASED ON MAJORITY DEMAND". Eyewitness News. 19 March 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  12. ^ "How a tribal king sparked deadly violence in South Africa". Eyewitness News. 17 April 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  13. ^ "Judge rules in favour of the right to die". Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  14. ^ Wire staff. "Mmusi Maimane elected as DA's new leader". Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  15. ^ "Danny Jordaan elected unopposed as Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor". 28 May 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  16. ^ "Bribery Inquiry Drawing Closer to FIFA's President, Sepp Blatter". The New York Times. 1 June 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  17. ^ Mataboge, Mmanaledi (14 June 2015). "SA court to rule on Sudan president's fate". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  18. ^ "Laughter as court told Al-Bashir has left". News24. 15 June 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  19. ^ Nicolson, Greg (26 June 2015). "Marikana report: Key findings and recommendations". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  20. ^ "Prasa denies new R600m trains unsafe". iafrica.com. 6 July 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  21. ^ "Prasa derails senior engineer". Business Day. 18 July 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  22. ^ Lindeque, Mia (17 July 2015). "Over 100 injured in jhb train collision". Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  23. ^ "South Africa train crash: 300 injured near Johannesburg". BBC News. 17 July 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  24. ^ Hawker, Dianne (25 August 2015). "All 8 Daveyton officers convicted for the murder of Mido Macia". eNCA. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  25. ^ Eyewitness News (10 September 2015). "New species homo naledi unveiled in sa". Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  26. ^ "Boks lose 32-34 to Japan in historic defeat #RWC2015". 19 September 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  27. ^ "South Africa 24 Argentina 13, Springboks claim third place but Bryan Habana fails to break try record - live". 30 October 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  28. ^ "Trevor Noah to replace Jon Stewart on The Daily Show". BBC News. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  29. ^ "Hitachi fined in US for paying ANC 'front'". Business Day Live. 29 September 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  30. ^ Hawker, Dianne (29 September 2015). "Crime Stats 2015: Murder and robbery up". Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  31. ^ "Riah Phiyega suspended". 14 October 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  32. ^ "Johannesburg bridge collapse: Two dead in South Africa". BBC News. 14 October 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  33. ^ Masego Rahlaga (17 October 2015). "'NO PUNISHMENT PLANNED' FOR PROTESTING WITS STUDENTS". Eye Witness News. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  34. ^ Political Bureau (22 October 2015). "Riot police vs student power". IOL News. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  35. ^ "#FeesHaveFallen: A big day in Pretoria, with a Zero outcome | Daily Maverick". www.dailymaverick.co.za. 23 October 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  36. ^ "Drought grips South Africa". 15 November 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  37. ^ Valeska Abreu (2015-10-19). "Pistorius already at home - lawyer". The Citizen. Archived from the original on 2015-11-22. Retrieved 2015-12-24.
  38. ^ "Oscar Pistorius conviction upgraded to murder – as it happened | World news". The Guardian. Retrieved 2015-12-03.
  39. ^ Johannes de Villiers Graaff
  40. ^ Juluka passes on
  41. ^ Former army general dies
  42. ^ Walter Westbrook August 3, 1921 – January 15, 2015 Archived January 18, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  43. ^ "Jackie Selebi dies". Eyewitness News. 23 January 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  44. ^ Sir David Graaff owner of De Grendel: RIP
  45. ^ Cedric Kushner dies at 66
  46. ^ South African Carnatic music expert dies
  47. ^ "Literary giant André Brink dies". Mail & Guardian. 7 February 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  48. ^ Brande eis ervare vlieënier - Die Burger, Maandag 9 Maart 2015.
  49. ^ Ex-Springbok Tjol Lategan dies
  50. ^ "Nkululeko "Flabba" Habedi". Archived from the original on 2015-04-18. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  51. ^ "Collins Chabane dies in car crash". News24. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  52. ^ Steve Mokone
  53. ^ Ken Owen SA's Last Great White Editor
  54. ^ Sharon Tandy
  55. ^ "A Tribute to Dr Louis Muggleton". Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  56. ^ Stars' Henyekane dies in car crash
  57. ^ 'Shoes' loses battle with cancer
  58. ^ "Ruth Mompati's Death a Loss to SA - Rustenberg Mayor". The Citizen. Archived from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  59. ^ Olimpiese atleet Esther Brand (92) ‘blaas stil laaste asem uit’ (in Afrikaans)
  60. ^ "Soul Brothers lead singer David Masondo dies | eNCA". South Africa: eNCA. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  61. ^ "Clive Rice dies aged 66". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  62. ^ "Justice Thembile Skweyiya". Constitutional Court of South Africa. Archived from the original on 2008-10-15. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
  63. ^ 10 November 2015 Time: 12:05 pm (2015-11-10). "Roger de Sa defends Ajax Cape Town over Cecil Lolo funeral - News". Kick Off. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-12-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  64. ^ Lauretta Ngcobo author, teacher and activist
  65. ^ Death announced of South Africa's first woman priest
  66. ^ "John Gainsford, South African rugby union player, Died at 77". Obituary. Archived from the original on 2015-11-19. Retrieved 18 November 2015.