On This Day: What happened on 20 April?

Here’s a look at what happened on this day, 20 April, throughout history. We remember the news, events, and people that influenced the course of history forever.

1968 | South African Airways (SAA) Boeing 707crashed in Namibia on its way to London killing 122 people of the 129 onboard. 

1994 | President F.W. de Klerk issued a proclamation adopting the new South African flag and Die Stem van Suid-Afrika (The Call of South Africa) and Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika (God bless Africa) to become the combined National anthem.

2018 | Cyril Ramaphosa leaves the Commonwealth summit due to protests by residents of Mahikeng in the North West province demanding the resignation of provincial Premier Supra Mahumapelo.

2018 | An Algerian woman was denied her citizenship in France after she refused to shake hands with a senior official due to religious beliefs.

READ: On This Day: What happened on 19 April?

DEATHS

2011 | Ghanaian international football player, Patricia Ofori (29) 

2016 | Zambian football manager, Solly Pandor (58)

2017 | South African cricket player, Robin Thorne (87) 

2017 | South African anti-apartheid activist, Philip Kgosana (80) 

BIRTHDAYS

1966 | South African film actor and poet, Gérard Rudolf

1975 | South African novelist, actor, playwright and producer, John Howard van de Ruit

1994 | South African rugby player, Cameron Wright

1993 | South African professional golfer, Brandon Stone

SPORT

2009 | 113th Boston Marathon: Ethiopian long-distance runner Deriba Merga wins the Men’s race and Kenyan long-distance runner Salina Kosgei wins the Women’s race.

 

ENTERTAINMENT

2012 | Eva Mendes is named one of the Most Beautiful at Every Age by People magazine. 

2020 | Shatta Wale, a Ghanaian reggae-dancehall artist releases his new album The Manacles of a Shatta.

AFRICA FACT

The first great civilization in Africa started in Egypt in 3000BC.