The first occupation by United Kingdom of Cape Colony, South Africa with the Battle of Hout Bay, after successive victories at the Battle of Muizenberg and Wynberg, after William V requested protection against revolutionary France's occupation of the Netherlands.

The East Indiaman ship Arniston is wrecked during a storm at Waenhuiskrans, near Cape Agulhas, present-day South Africa, with the loss of 372 lives.

South African College is founded in Cape Town, South Africa; it will later separate into the University of Cape Town and the South African College Schools.

Battle of Blood River: Voortrekkers led by Andries Pretorius combat Zulu impis, led by Dambuza (Nzobo) and Ndlela kaSompisi in what is today KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Second Boer War begins: In South Africa, a war between the United Kingdom and the Boers of the Transvaal and Orange Free State erupts.

British troops are defeated by Boers at Ladysmith, South Africa.

Second Boer War: In South Africa, 20,000 British troops invade the Orange Free State.

In South Africa, Boers and British troops fight in the Battle of Hart's Hill.

Second Boer War: In South Africa, British military leaders receive an unconditional notice of surrender from Boer General Piet Cronje at the Battle of Paardeberg.

Second Boer War: The Treaty of Vereeniging ends the war and ensures British control of South Africa.

The Cullinan Diamond is found at the Premier Mine near Pretoria in South Africa.

Representatives from England, Australia and South Africa meet at Lord's and form the Imperial Cricket Conference.

Mohandas Gandhi is arrested while leading a march of Indian miners in South Africa.

World War I: South African troops open hostilities in German south-west Africa (Namibia) with an assault on the Ramansdrift police station.

World War I: South African troops land in German South West Africa.

The government of South Africa declares Afrikaans an official language

Gold is discovered in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Start of "Die Voortrekkers" youth movement for Afrikaners in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Discovery of the first modern coelacanth in South Africa.

World War II: South Africa declares war on Germany.

Apartheid: In South Africa, the Group Areas Act is passed formally segregating races.

Hendrik Verwoerd announces a plebiscite on whether South Africa should become a Republic.

Apartheid: Massacre in Sharpeville, South Africa: Police open fire on a group of unarmed black South African demonstrators, killing 69 and wounding 180.

South Africa withdraws from the Commonwealth of Nations.

Republic of South Africa created.

Anti-apartheid activist and ANC leader Nelson Mandela is sentenced to life in prison for sabotage in South Africa.

South Africa is banned from the Olympic Games due to the country's racist policies.

In Cape Town, South Africa, the architect of Apartheid, Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd, is stabbed to death during a parliamentary meeting.

At Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, a transplant team headed by Christiaan Barnard carries out the first heart transplant on a human (53-year-old Louis Washkansky).

Louis Washkansky, the first man to undergo a heart transplant, dies in Cape Town, South Africa, after living for 18 days after the transplant.

Soweto uprising: a non-violent march by 15,000 students in Soweto, South Africa turns into days of rioting when police open fire on the crowd.

Steve Biko is arrested at a police roadblock under the Terrorism Act No 83 of 1967 in King William's Town, South Africa. He would later die of the injuries sustained during this arrest bringing attention to South Africa's apartheid policies.

South African anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko is killed in police custody.

South Africa grants independence to Bophuthatswana, although it is not recognized by any other country.

South Africa grants independence to the "homeland" of Venda (not recognised outside South Africa).

The African National Congress in South Africa publishes a call to fight from their imprisoned leader Nelson Mandela.

South Africa grants independence to the Ciskei "homeland" (not recognized by any government outside South Africa).

Gerrie Coetzee of South Africa becomes the first African boxing world heavyweight champion.

In South Africa, police fire tear gas into a church service for families of those held under the government's emergency decrees.

Desmond Tutu becomes the first black man to lead the Anglican Church in South Africa.