On This Day: What happened on 7 December?

Here’s a look at what happened on this day, 7 December, throughout history. We remember the news, events, and people that influenced the course of history forever.

ON THIS DAY: 7 DECEMBER

1978 | Minister Connie Mulder, Dr Eschel Rhoodie and General Hendrik van den Bergh leaked state information about the brutality of the Apartheid State

1984 | Archbishop Desmond Tutu travels to the United States to meet with American President Ronald Reagan, to discuss the economic situation in South Africa due to sanctions imposed by European countries.  

1988 | ANC leader, Nelson Mandela, is moved from the Constantiaberg private clinic in Cape Town, to Victor Verster Prison. 

2006 | Avhatakali Netshusaulu (son of the former City Press editor Mathata Tsedu) remains were found in the boot of his car in a bush in Honeydew. He was alive when he was burnt and it was discovered his wife, Mulalo Sivhidzo, hired two men to kill him.

READ: On This Day: What happened on 6 December?

DEATHS

1973 | South African activist and journalist, Robert Resha (53)

1993 | President of Ivory Coast, Félix Houphouet-Boigny (88)

2013 | South African boxer, Jacob ‘Baby Jake’ Matlala (51)

BIRTHDAYS

1920 | South African writer, Tatamkhulu Afrika

1924 | Zimbabwean race car driver, John Love

1957 | President of the United Nations General Assembly and Nigerian diplomat, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande

1993 | Nigerian actress, Rahama Sadau

SPORT

1931 | Donald Bradman scores 219 runs in 234 minutes for Australia against South Africa.

2017 | Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo wins his fifth Ballon d’Or award.

ENTERTAINMENT

1979 | The first Star Trek movie ‘The Motion Picture’ is released.

1994 | Mariah Carey wins Top Female Artist at 5th Billboard Music Awards

AFRICA FACT

Africa is the hottest continent in the world. The deserts and drylands cover 60% of the land surface area.