On This Day: What happened on 31 May?

Here’s a look at what happened on this day, 31 May, throughout history. We remember the news, events, and people that influenced the course of history forever.

1902 | The Treaty of Vereeniging was signed, ending the Second Anglo-Boer War in South Africa.

1910 | The Union of South Africa is created after the South Africa Act becomes effective.

1961 | The Republic of South Africa was established after the Union of South Africa ceased to exist and the South African Constitution of 1961 became effective.

2017 | President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta opened Kenya’s Madaraka Express, a Chinese-built high-speed railway from Mombasa to Nairobi. 

2018 | The parliament of Uganda imposed WhatsApp and Facebook tax to stop social media gossip.

READ: On This Day: What happened on 30 May?

DEATHS

2015 | South African first-class cricketer, Mario Saliwa (31) 

2016 | South African lawyer and human-rights activist, Jules Browde (97) 

2018 | Tanzanian-Scottish rugby coach, Nairn MacEwan (76)

BIRTHDAYS

1958 | South African Anti-Apartheid activist, Mkhuseli Jack

1977 | Zambian football player, Moses Sichone 

1979 | South African jazz singer, Tutu Puoane

1981 | South African professional rugby coach and former player, Petrus du Plessis

SPORT

2009 | Sevens World Series Cup finals – South Africa was defeated 19-20 by Fiji. 

2009 | Colonial National Invitation – Tim Clark, a South African professional golfer was one of the Runners up, he lost the match to Steve Stricker from the US.

ENTERTAINMENT

2004 | “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” the 3rd film of the series based on J K Rowling books was released.

2007 | Rihanna’s “Good Girl Gone Bad” is released. 

2014 | Gangnam Style” by Psy becomes the first video to reach 2 billion views on YouTube.

AFRICA FACT

South Africa has the highest commercial Bungy jump in the world. It is 216 meters and called Bloukrans Bridge Bungy.