1954 in South Africa

Events

January

• Mimi Coertse starts tuitorship under Maria Hittorff and Josef Witt.

April

• 17 – The Federation of South African Women is launched in Johannesburg.
• 23 – The Afrikaans-German Culture Union (Afrikaanse-Deutsche Kultuurgemeinschaft - ADK) is founded in Pretoria.

June

• 23 – The Trust Bank of South Africa is founded by Jan S. Marais.

September

• 14 – Sasolburg is established near the Sasol plant in the northern Orange Free State.

October

• 10 – The much-travelled statue of Paul Kruger is unveiled in Church Square, Pretoria by Dr. Daniel François Malan.
• 11 – Daniel François Malan announces his retirement.

November

• 30 – Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom becomes the 6th Prime Minister of South Africa.

December

• 16–19 – The 43rd Annual Conference of the African National Congress is held in Durban.

Unknown date

• George Bizos is admitted as a lawyer to the South African Bar.

Births

• 4 February – Vincent Baloyi, artist is born in Newclare, Johannesburg.
• 8 April – Vincent Oliphant, poet and mathematician is born in Alicedale, Port Elizabeth.
• 2 May – Bulelani Ngcuka, the first national director of National Prosecuting Authority, is born in Middledrift, Cape Province.
• 23 August – Ngconde Balfour, politician.
• 9 November – Koos Kombuis, poet, singer, entertainer and writer, is born in Cape Town.
• 26 November – John Matshikiza, actor, director, poet and journalist, is born in Johannesburg.

Railways

Locomotives

Two new Cape gauge steam locomotive types enter service on the South African Railways (SAR):

• The first of 120 Class GMA branchline and Class GMAM mainline 4-8-2+2-8-4 "Double Mountain" Garratt articulated locomotives.^{[1]:110–113[2]:95–96[3][4]}
• Twenty-five Class GO 4-8-2+2-8-4 "Double Mountain" light branchline Garratt locomotives.^{[1]:113–114[2]:96[4]}

Sports

Football

• 1 May – The South Africa national football team beats the Israel national football team 2-1 at the Rand Stadium, Johannesburg in a friendly match.

References