On This Day: What happened on 2 January?

Here’s a look at what happened on this day, 2 January, throughout history. We remember the news, events, and people that influenced the course of history forever.

ON THIS DAY: 2 JANUARY

1964 | The first president of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah survived a fifth assassination attempt and declared Ghana a one-party nation.

1968 | South African cardiac surgeon, Dr Chris Barnard, performs his second heart transplant operation on Dr Philip Blaiberg at Groote Schuur Hospital.

1984 | Muhammadu Buhari is declared Head of State in Nigeria after a military coup.

2005 | Six South African survivors of the tsunami in Thailand arrive at Lanseria airport.

READ: On This Day: What happened on 1 January?

DEATHS

1971 | South African trade unionist, Richard ‘Dick’ Maxwell Haldane (62)

1985 | First Black chancellor of the University of the North, Moses Josiah Madiba (76)

1995 | Former president of Somalia, Siad Barre (84)

BIRTHDAYS

1950 | South African artist, Richard Mzamane Mabaso

1967 | South African rugby player, Francois Pienaar

SPORT

1984 | South African Test cricketer Daryll Cullinan scores his first-class century at the age of 16. 

 

ENTERTAINMENT

2011 | Fela! a musical based on music and lyrics by Nigerian singer Fela Kuti, after 463 performances and 3 Tony awards, closed on Broadway.

AFRICA FACT

The Seychelles is Africa’s smallest country. It is made up of 155 islands of which 44 belong to the Inner Islands with 98% of the population.