The following lists events that happened during 1971 in South Africa.
Incumbents State President: Jim FouchéArchontology.org: A Guide for Study of Historical Offices: South Africa: Heads of State: 1961-1994 (Accessed on 14 April 2017) Prime Minister: John Vorster Chief Justice: Lucas Cornelius Steyn, then Newton Ogilvie Thompson
Events February 27 – The oil tanker Wafra grounds near Cape Agulhas, causing considerable environmental damage.
March 10 – Two Buccaneer aircraft of 24 Squadron SAAF, prescribed to by Headquarters, attempt to sink SS Wafra with missiles but succeeds only in starting a fire.The Buccaneer Fiasco with the Sinking of the SS Wafra, by Simon van Garderen, ex 24 Squadron SAAF O.C. 12 – A Shackleton aircraft of 35 Squadron SAAF, not prescribed to by Headquarters, sinks SS Wafra in of water using depth charges.
Unknown date St Lucia Lake and the turtle beaches and coral reefs of Maputaland are listed by the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (RAMSAR). The International Court of Justice gives an advisory opinion supporting the view of the United Nations for South Africa to relinquish control of South West Africa. Kamuzu Banda, president of Malawi, is the first Black President to visit South Africa.
Births 20 February – Joost van der Westhuizen, rugby scrum-half (d. 2017) 3 March – Jet Novuka, actor 15 March – Naka Drotské, rugby player 8 April – Fikile Mbalula, national minister 22 April – Jannie de Beer, rugby player 13 May – Fana Mokoena, actor 28 June – Elon Musk, South African-born Canadian-American entrepreneur, engineer, inventor and investor 21 July – Robby Brink, rugby player 30 July – Mzukisi Sikali, triple world champion boxer (d. 2005) 4 September – Lance Klusener, cricket player 15 September – Wayne Ferreira, tennis player 28 September – Braam van Straaten, rugby player 8 October – Krynauw Otto, rugby player 22 October – Amanda Coetzer, tennis player 26 October – Brendan Augustine, soccer player 12 November – Gert Thys, long-distance runner 14 November – Nick Boraine, actor 29 November – Esme Kruger, lawn bowler 3 December – Pieter Rossouw, rugby player 17 December – Alan Khan, media and radio personality
Deaths 27 October – Ahmed Timol, activist and political leader. (b. 1941)
Railways
Locomotives
Four new Cape gauge locomotive types enter service on the South African Railways: July – The first of 125 Class 34-000 General Electric type U26C diesel-electric locomotives. October – The first of fifty Class 34-200 General Motors Electro-Motive Division type GT26MC diesel-electric locomotives. Fifty Class 6E1, Series 2 electric locomotives.South African Railways Index and Diagrams Electric and Diesel Locomotives, 610mm and 1065mm Gauges, Ref LXD 14/1/100/20, 28 January 1975, as amended The first of one hundred and fifty Class 6E1, Series 3 locomotives.
References