2010 in South Africa

← 2009 2008 2007 2010 in South Africa → 2011 2012 2013
Decades:	1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	List of years in South Africa

The following lists events that happened during 2010 in South Africa.

Incumbents

• President: Jacob Zuma. ^[1]
• Deputy President: Kgalema Motlanthe.
• Chief Justice: Sandile Ngcobo.

Cabinet

The Cabinet, together with the President and the Deputy President, forms part of the Executive.

Main article: First Cabinet of Jacob Zuma

Main article: Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (South Africa)

National Assembly

Main article: 25th South African Parliament

Provincial Premiers

• Eastern Cape Province: Noxolo Kiviet
• Free State Province: Ace Magashule
• Gauteng Province: Nomvula Mokonyane
• KwaZulu-Natal Province: Zweli Mkhize
• Limpopo Province: Cassel Mathale
• Mpumalanga Province: David Mabuza
• North West Province: Maureen Modiselle (until 19 November), Thandi Modise (since 19 November)
• Northern Cape Province: Hazel Jenkins
• Western Cape Province: Helen Zille

Events

February

• 24 – Advocate Cézanne Visser is sentenced to seven years in prison by the North Gauteng High Court. ^[2]
• 24 – Nersa grants Eskom a 24.8% fee increase, 25.8% in 2011 and 25.9% in 2012. ^[3]
• 25 – The North Gauteng High Court rules that farmers whose land was seized in Zimbabwe can be compensated with Zimbabwean assets in South Africa. ^[4]

March

• 2 – Minister of Arts and Culture Lulama Xingwana leaves an art exhibition, allegedly because it depicts same-sex couples. ^[5]

May

• 1 – King Shaka International Airport in Durban is opened and replaces Durban International Airport. ^[6]

June

• 11 to 11 July – The 2010 FIFA World Cup takes place in South Africa and is won by Spain, with the Netherlands as the runner-up.

July

• 2 – Former Chief of Police and Chief of Interpol, Jackie Selebi, is found guilty of corruption, but not guilty on further charges of perverting the course of justice. ^[7]

August

• 25 – In the Blackheath train accident a minibus carrying 14 school children is struck by a train at a level crossing in Cape Town. Nine die on the scene and a 10th child later dies in hospital. ^[8]
• 24-26 – President Jacob Zuma leads a delegation of over 200 South African business leaders and entrepreneurs to the People's Republic of China to promote trade and investment between the two countries. ^[9]

September

• 22 – Dawie Groenewald and ten associates are arrested in the country's largest wildlife trafficking operation. ^{[10] [11]}

November

• 7 – "Fake billionaire" Mandla Lamba is revealed by an exposé showing that his claimed life story, academic qualifications, and business dealings all lacked credibility. Other business partners subsequently come forward to accuse him of fraud, lying and misrepresentation. ^{[12] [13] [14]}
• 13 – Anni Dewani, while on her honeymoon in South Africa, is kidnapped and then murdered in Gugulethu township near Cape Town. ^[15]

Deaths

• 27 January – Ruben Kruger, Springbok rugby player. (b. 1970) ^[16]
• 5 February – Harry Schwarz, lawyer, politician and diplomat. (b. 1924)
• 3 April – Eugène Terre'Blanche, political activist. (b. 1941)
• 5 April – Molefi Sefularo, politician and deputy minister. (b. 1957) ^[17]
• 15 April – Lucas Malan, Afrikaans poet, author and academic. (b. 1946)
• 4 May – Sheena Duncan, activist and Black Sash leader. (b. 1932)
• 14 May – Frederik van Zyl Slabbert, political analyst, businessman and politician. (b. 1940) ^[18]
• 22 May – Lwandile Zwelenkosi Matanzima, ruler of Western Thembuland. (b. c. 1970) ^[19]
• 19 June – Nico Smith, activist and theologian. (b. 1929)
• 18 August – Fiona Coyne, actress, author, playwright and television presenter. (b. 1965) ^[20]
• 19 August – Joe Matthews, activist and politician. (b. 1929) ^[21]
• 27 August – Oscar Ntwagae, South African footballer. (b. 1977)
• 10 October – Rex Rabanye, jazz, fusion and soulful pop musician. (b. 1944) ^[22]

Railways

Class 15E

Locomotives

• Transnet Freight Rail places the first of seventy-six Class 15E heavy electric freight locomotives in service on the Sishen–Saldanha iron ore line. ^[23]

Sports

Rugby

• 5 June – South Africa vs Wales International Rugby Friendly is played.

Football

• 11 June – The 2010 FIFA World Cup begins in South Africa.
• 11 July – The 2010 FIFA World Cup ends.

See also

• 2010 in South African television

References

1. Archontology.org: A Guide for Study of Historical Offices: South Africa: Heads of State: 1994-2017 (Accessed on 5 June 2017)
2. "Barbie gets 7 years in jail". Archived from the original on 27 February 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
3. "Eskom scores 24.8% hike". Archived from the original on 27 February 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
4. "Coup for white Zim farmers". Archived from the original on 27 February 2010. Retrieved 26 February 2010.
5. "This is not art!": Lulu Xingwana Archived 7 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine
6. "King Shaka welcomes first plane". IOL. 30 April 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
7. South Africa ex-police head Selebi guilty of corruption
8. Train hits school bus near CT
9. Zuma in China for state visit
10. "Farmers help to catch poachers". The Mail & Guardian. 24 September 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
11. "Eleven suspected members of rhinoceros poaching ring arrested in South Africa". Los Angeles Times. 22 September 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
12. "SA's fake 'young billionaire' arrested". Fin24. 11 May 2011. Archived from the original on 21 July 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
13. Hawker, Dianne (14 November 2010). "Lamba: They are denying me". Independent Online. Archived from the original on 30 July 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
14. "Mining tycoon a lying fake". City Press. 7 November 2010. Archived from the original on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
15. BBC News. "Anni Dewani honeymoon murder: South African jailed", 8 August 2012. Retrieved on 7 April 2013.
16. Ruben Kruger passes away
17. Deputy health minister dies
18. Frederik van Zyl Slabbert dies
19. "Sudden death of King Matanzima, 39". Daily Dispatch . 25 May 2010. Archived from the original on 27 May 2010. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
20. Fiona Coyne dies in crash in CT
21. Former deputy minister Joe Matthews dies Mail & Guardian, 19 August 2010
22. Edward Tsumele (14 October 2010). "Teenage Lover Rabanye dies". sowetanlive.co.za.
23. Transnet press release on 2 March 2011