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| | | 3000BC - 1000BC: Evidence of migration of people from Somalia and Ethiopia The Zulus, who belong to the Nguni-speaking peoples, constitute the majority of the population. Other tribes include the Khoi, San, and Xhosa | |
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| | 400 AD | Migration of the Bantu peoples into South Africa | |
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| | 700 | South African Trade with the Arabs and Phoenicians in ivory, rhino horn, gold, shells and slaves | |
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| | 1480 | Portuguese navigator Bartholomeu Dias first European to travel round the southern tip of Africa | |
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| | 1497 | July 8 - Vasco da Gama set out on expedition to India via Africa stopping at Mombasa, Mozambique, Malindi and Kenya trading centres | |
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| | 1652 | Jan van Riebeeck, working for the Dutch East India Company, founds the Cape Colony at Table Bay and Dutch settlement of South Africa starts | |
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| | 1816 | 1816 - 1826 Shaka Zulu founds the Zulu empire | |
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| | 1835 | 1835 - 1840: The Boers leave Cape Colony and found the Orange Free State and the Transvaal | |
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| | 1858 | Boers proclaim the Transvaal a republic | |
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| | 1867 | Diamonds are discovered at Kimberley | |
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| | 1877 | The British and the Boers defeat the Zulus in the Zulu War | |
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| | 1880 | 1880-81: The Boer War - The Boers rebel against the British | |
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| | 1880s | The South African gold rush | |
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| | 1910 | Formation of Union of South Africa by former British colonies of the Cape and Natal, and the Boer republics of Transvaal, and Orange Free State | |
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| | 1913 | Land Act: Prevented Blacks from purchasing land | |
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| | 1948 | Policy of apartheid adopted by the National Party (NP) | |
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| | 1950 | Group Areas Act: To segregate black and white people The African National Congress (ANC) led by Nelson Mandela initiates civil disobedience | |
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| | 1961 | South Africa declared a republic | |
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| | 1964 | Nelson Mandela sentenced to life imprisonment | |
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| | | 1970's- 1980's - Civil unrest, sanctions imposed on South Africa, forced resettlement process and Township revolts | |
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| | 1990 | Nelson Mandela at last released from prison | |
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| | 1991 | De Klerk repeals remaining apartheid laws and international sanctions are lifted | |
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