2021 in Southern Africa

Last updated November 19, 2025

The following lists events that happened during 2021 in Southern Africa . The countries are those described in the United Nations geoscheme for Southern Africa.

Incumbents

Botswana

President of Botswana: Mokgweetsi Masisi (since 2018)^[1]
- Vice-President of Botswana: Slumber Tsogwane (since 2018)^[1]

Eswatini

Eswatini (Swaziland)

Chief of state: Ngwenyama (King): Mswati III (since 1986)^[2]
Head of government: Prime Minister: Themba N. Masuku (since 2020)

Lesotho

Chief of state: King: Letsie III (since 1996)^[3]
Head of government: Prime Minister: Moeketsi Majoro (since 2020)^[4]

Namibia

President: Hage Geingob (since March 21, 2015)^[5]
- Vice President: Nangolo Mbumba (since February 12, 2018) ^[5]
Prime Minister: Saara Kuugongelwa (since March 21, 2015) ^[5]
- Deputy Prime Minister: Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (since March 21, 2015)

South Africa

President: Cyril Ramaphosa (since 2018)^[6]
- Deputy President: David Mabuza (since 2018)^[6]
Chief Justice: Mogoeng Mogoeng
Speaker of the National Assembly: Thandi Modise

Events

January to March

January 25 – Thirteen people, including two in Eswanti die and thousands are homeless as Cyclone Eloise causes extensive flooding in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, South Africa as well as other areas of southern Africa such as Zimbabwe and Botswana.^[7]^[8]

Scheduled events

Elections

Major holidays

March 11 – Anniversary of the death of King Moshoeshoe I, Public holidays in Lesotho.^[9]
March 22 – Independence Day, Public holidays in Namibia.^[10]
March 23 – Southern African Liberation Day, Public holidays in Angola.^[11]
April 19 – King Mswati III′s Birthday, Public holidays in Eswatini.^[12]
April 27 – Freedom Day (South Africa), Public holidays in South Africa.^[13]
May 4 – Cassinga Day, Namibia.^[10]
May 25 – Africa Day.^[9]
July 17 – King Letsie III′s Birthday, Lesotho.^[9]
July 22 – King Father′s Birthday, Eswatini.^[12]
September 6 – Somhlolo Day (Independence Day), Eswatini.^[12]
October 1 – Botswana Day holiday^[14]
October 4 – Independence Day, Lesotho.^[9]
November 11 – Independence Day, Angola.^[11]
December 10 – Human Rights Day.^[10]
December 16 – Day of Reconciliation, South Africa.^[13]

Culture

Sports

Deaths

6 January – King Victor Thulare III, 40, royal, South African king of the Pedi people (since 2020); COVID-19.^[15]
11 January – Mario Masuku, 69, Eswatini politician.^[16]
18 January – Nombulelo Hermans, South African politician, member of the National Assembly (since 2019); COVID-19.^[17]
20 January – Jackson Mthembu, 62, South African politician (Minister in the Presidency); COVID-19.^[18]
25 February – Archibald Mogwe, 99, Botswanan politician and diplomat, minister of foreign affairs (1974–1984).^[19]
12 March - Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, 72, South African royal (Zulu king); problems related to diabetes^[20]

References

1 2 CIA World Factbook: Botswana retrieved 18 Apr 2020
↑ CIA World Factbook: Eswatini retrieved 18 Apr 2020
↑ CIA World Factbook: Lesotho retrieved 18 Apr 2020
↑ "Lesotho's new PM sworn in after resignation, murder drama". ABC News. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
1 2 3 CIA World Factbook: Namibia retrieved April 19, 2020
1 2 CIA World Factbook: South Africa retrieved April 19, 2020
↑ "Limpopo province flooded following Cyclone Eloise". news.yahoo.com. Reuters. January 25, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
↑ Pillay, Kirthana; Rumney, Emma (January 26, 2021). "Thirteen dead, thousands homeless in southern Africa after storm Eloise". news.yahoo.com. Reuters. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
1 2 3 4 "Lesotho Public Holidays 2021". PublicHolidays.africa. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
1 2 3 "Independence Day 2021, 2022 and 2023 in Namibia". PublicHolidays.africa. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
1 2 "Southern Africa Liberation Day 2021, 2022 and 2023 in Angola". PublicHolidays.africa. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
1 2 3 "Eswatini Public Holidays 2021". PublicHolidays.africa. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
1 2 "National Holidays in South Africa in 2021". Office Holidays. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
↑ "Botswana Day 2021, 2022 and 2023 in Botswana". PublicHolidays.africa. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
↑ King Victor Thulare III described as a youthful, visionary leader
↑ COSATU mourns PUDEMO founding President Mario Masuku's death.
↑ Northern Cape ANC mourns death of MP Nombulelo Hermans
↑ "South African cabinet minister dies of COVID-19 amid surge". AP NEWS. 21 January 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
↑ Botswana's Archibald Mogwe hailed as colossus of public service
↑ "South Africa's Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini dies, aged 72". AP NEWS. 12 March 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.

External links

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[Botswana-1] 1 2 CIA World Factbook: Botswana retrieved 18 Apr 2020

[cia_eswatini-2] CIA World Factbook: Eswatini retrieved 18 Apr 2020

[cia_lesotho-3] CIA World Factbook: Lesotho retrieved 18 Apr 2020

[lesotho_pm-4] "Lesotho's new PM sworn in after resignation, murder drama". ABC News. Retrieved May 20, 2020.

[cia_namibia-5] 1 2 3 CIA World Factbook: Namibia retrieved April 19, 2020

[cia_sou_af-6] 1 2 CIA World Factbook: South Africa retrieved April 19, 2020

[7] "Limpopo province flooded following Cyclone Eloise". news.yahoo.com. Reuters. January 25, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.

[8] Pillay, Kirthana; Rumney, Emma (January 26, 2021). "Thirteen dead, thousands homeless in southern Africa after storm Eloise". news.yahoo.com. Reuters. Retrieved January 26, 2021.

[lesotho_holidays-9] 1 2 3 4 "Lesotho Public Holidays 2021". PublicHolidays.africa. Retrieved January 18, 2021.

[namibia_holidays-10] 1 2 3 "Independence Day 2021, 2022 and 2023 in Namibia". PublicHolidays.africa. Retrieved January 18, 2021.

[anglola_holidays-11] 1 2 "Southern Africa Liberation Day 2021, 2022 and 2023 in Angola". PublicHolidays.africa. Retrieved January 18, 2021.

[eswatine_holidays-12] 1 2 3 "Eswatini Public Holidays 2021". PublicHolidays.africa. Retrieved January 18, 2021.

[s_africa_holidays-13] 1 2 "National Holidays in South Africa in 2021". Office Holidays. Retrieved January 18, 2021.

[14] "Botswana Day 2021, 2022 and 2023 in Botswana". PublicHolidays.africa. Retrieved January 18, 2021.

[15] King Victor Thulare III described as a youthful, visionary leader

[16] COSATU mourns PUDEMO founding President Mario Masuku's death.

[17] Northern Cape ANC mourns death of MP Nombulelo Hermans

[18] "South African cabinet minister dies of COVID-19 amid surge". AP NEWS. 21 January 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2021.

[19] Botswana's Archibald Mogwe hailed as colossus of public service

[20] "South Africa's Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini dies, aged 72". AP NEWS. 12 March 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.

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v t e 2021 in Africa
Sovereign states	Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Comoros Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Djibouti Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Eswatini Ethiopia Gabon The Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) Kenya Lesotho Liberia Libya Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Rwanda São Tomé and Príncipe Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa South Sudan Sudan Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe
States with limited recognition	Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Somaliland
Dependencies, colonies and other territories	Ascension Island Mayotte Réunion Saint Helena Tristan da Cunha Western Sahara